outrageous but...thats the us for ya

[Brainz]

Then raise the scarlet standard high.
Within its shade we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here.!

[HangFire]

Patents do, in theory, have an advantage. They are there to protect a new design/product during its initial development so the idea isn't stolen by someone.

For patents to be ethical they should have a very limited lifespan (say, 3 years), and only be on new technologies. The main problem that patenting is causing is idiots trying to either patent things they didn't create (SCO) or trying to cash in on ancient patents.

[Exilibur]

or try to patent something defined so broad that they afterwards can sue everything.

I'm not really into this legal stuff but to me software patents is kinda redundant when you have copyright.

[von Ryan]

Originally Posted by Pierre-Marie Baty

BU, a den of communists ?

come on... comrades

Yeah, maybe sometime in the near future biohazerd and splorigon will be taken into custody by the FBI because of that freaky "Patriot" Act thingy.

[>BKA< T Wrecks]

Yeah, and too many too trivial things can get patented. For example, Canon sued 3rd party ink cartridge manufacturers because they had patented a "T-shaped division" inside their cartridges to separate the three colours.

If this can be patented (and I bet it only can be patented if you are a company with big $$$), when will another company come and sue all manufacturers of longdrink glasses because the company has patented "a hollow, upright cylinder with a bottom"... Jeez.

[botmeister]

The article should read "spherical panning" instead of says "spherical planning".

I think the maximum duration of a US patent is 20 years, and 14 years for a design patent. I'm not sure why this thing is even proceeding forward unless it is possible to sue for past violations many years after the fact. In any event, the patent in question is no longer in effect and may be ignored - unless there's more to the story that I'm not aware of.

Another thing I noticed that whoever created the patent is not mentioned, instead what we have is a legal firm that is trying to extort money from various "big" companies. It appears that the legal firm somehow aquired the rights to the patent. Another observation, is that the legal firm claims to of settled out of court with smaller firms as a means to help fund the legal battle against the bigger companies. I bet that the settlement agreement comes with a kick back payment as a reward should the extortion against the bigger companies succeed.

Patenting software is pretty much the same thing as patenting ideas, or life for that matter. No one can own the thoughts that go on in our heads nor can they ever own my DNA, and I don't care what the "legal"system has to say about it. IMO the entire patent process is a huge mess waiting to collapse. Already it is largely ignored, and most companies assume that getting sued for patent infrigement is simply just another business risk worth taking. I cannot see how any software company (not even a huge one) has the resources to constantly research every algorithm they create to see if a patent exists on it or not.

[Whistler]

"I'm not really into this legal stuff but to me software patents is kinda redundant when you have copyright."

Nope. If big companies like M$ don't own patents of their software, small companies, shareware authors or free software hackers will be big threats to their hegemony as they will be able to resymble the same thing in their 'small' softwares.


nowadays even the idea of using browser cookies can also be owned.

[The Goomba Mattress]

Originally Posted by Whistler

nowadays even the idea of using browser cookies can also be owned.

Yeah, I think the whole patent system is getting a little out of control. Did anyone hear when Microsoft accidentally received a patent for a type of apple tree?

http://news.com.com/2100-1008_3-5205574.html

Apple patented by Microsoft 8D

On a side note, I wonder how much the person who types up these enormous patent descriptions gets paid an hour.

[MarD]

Heyyo,

Lol, good point goomba, sounds like a good career to get into.

This's rediculous. Reminds me of those no-body's who sued Taco Bell cause they said they invented the "chiwaua mascot" bloody bs eh? it's a type of freakin' dog for crying out loud... the worst part was those no-body's WON, putting taco bell in dept, and forever eliminating the chance of them setting up a shop in my town... thanks a lot capitalizim... you made my world so much worse...

lawyers, investors, all that stuff would be great carrers, as long as you get capitalizim to work for ya eh?.. if ya can't beat em', join em'.

they say business is a cut-throat world... and this saying ain't no lie. Think aboot how bad it is now... wonder what the future will be like eh? will there still be companies that are independent and good like ubisoft is, and is dearly fighting off ea to stay that way? Ea atm, is trying to buy out ubisoft... and owning so much of its stock, that's almost within their reach..

you can easily find articles on ea's situation, and I bet taco bell as well....

[Brainz]

The people's flag is deepest red,
It shrouded oft our martyred dead,
And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their hearts blood dyed its every fold.

Then raise the scarlet standard high. (chorus)
Within its shade we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here.

Look round, the Frenchman loves its blaze,
The sturdy German chants its praise,
In Moscow's vaults its hymns are sung
Chicago swells the surging throng.

It waved above our infant might,
When all ahead seemed dark as night;
It witnessed many a deed and vow,
We must not change its colour now.

It well recalls the triumphs past,
It gives the hope of peace at last;
The banner bright, the symbol plain,
Of human right and human gain.

It suits today the weak and base,
Whose minds are fixed on pelf and place
To cringe before the rich man's frown,
And haul the sacred emblem down.

With heads uncovered swear we all
To bear it onward till we fall;
Come dungeons dark or gallows grim,
This song shall be our parting hymn.