Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on September 16, 2006 12:26 AM
"What programmers need, in order to do their work safely, is the abolition of software patents."
The same argument could be made for all intellectual property. However the risk/reward conundrum applies as much to creations in the digital domain as it does in the physical one. Maybe what software patents need is a higher standard than other patents, and a shorter time. So that research that gave us MP3 and other technology can go on, and yet programmers can do what's needed sooner.
BTW as the PNG and OGG efforts have shown software patents can be a good thing in that others will innovate instead of "safely" riding your coat tails.
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Intellectual Property.
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on September 16, 2006 12:26 AMThe same argument could be made for all intellectual property. However the risk/reward conundrum applies as much to creations in the digital domain as it does in the physical one. Maybe what software patents need is a higher standard than other patents, and a shorter time. So that research that gave us MP3 and other technology can go on, and yet programmers can do what's needed sooner.
BTW as the PNG and OGG efforts have shown software patents can be a good thing in that others will innovate instead of "safely" riding your coat tails.
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