Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

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Software patents

Author:	Brett Glass
Posted:	8/28/2000; 7:39:04 PM
Topic:	scriptingNews outline for 8/28/2000
Msg #:	20432 (In response to 20419)
Prev/Next:	20431 / 20433

Interesting points, Dave. By the way, while I used to be against software patents, I've begun to change my stance on this.

Why? Because patents are the one effective defense against both of the stinkers you mention above. This is why Stallman rails so hard against them -- because he knows that a developer with a patent can use it to defend himself against the GPL. He told me so several years ago.

I agree with Jeff Bezos, Tim O'Reilly, and others that most patents shouldn't last as long as they do; 20 years is an eternity in the software world. But if programmers find that the GPL zealots are destroying their markets, copying their work, and making it impossible for them to run a viable development operation, who could blame them for resorting to the patent system for protection? I, for one, could not. So, I now advocate short-lived software patents -- 5 years from date of issue or 7 from date of filing -- perhaps with compulsory licensing.

--Brett Glass

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