Re: [LUG] If this wasn't so dangerous, you'd laugh.

[Julian Hall <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jon Lawrence wrote:

> If it's a new invention then they can patent it and 
> extract license fees or whatever for using that invention - fair enough, they 
> invented it - whether or not software code can be classed as an invention is 
> another matter.
I suppose it depends how broad a brush you want to sweep with.  I don't 
see Ford suing all the other car manufacturers, even if old Henry *was* 
the first to create an assembly line.  I would think you could patent a 
particular method of doing something *if* your method was sufficiently 
radical and/or different from the way other people completed the same task.

For example:

PRINT "Hello"
PRINT "Hello"
PRINT "Hello"
PRINT "Hello"
PRINT "Hello"

or

I=1
FOR I = 1 to 5
PRINT "Hello"
I=I+1
NEXT I

or

I=1
WHILE I<6
PRINT "Hello"
I=I+1
WEND

etc etc ad infinitum.  They all do the same think, ie print "Hello" five 
times.  Come to think of it, hasn't the guy who created the YEnc 
algorythm for data compression patented it?  Then gone to work for Forte 
who distribute Agent?  He didn't patent the concept of compressing data, 
just his new way of doing it.  I think the point is that you can't 
backdate a patent, especially for something in widespread use, otherwise 
the Aussie who patented the wheel would be laughing all the way to the bank.

Kind regards,

Julian

PS if the code above is complete rubbish it's 2:25am and I'm off to bed :)


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