Open Source
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A software patent has been defined by the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII) as being a " patent on any performance of a computer realised by means of a computer program ". [ 1 ] Most countries place some limits on the patenting of invention involving software, but there is no legal definition of a software patent. For example, U.S. patent law excludes "abstract ideas", and this has been used to refuse some patents involving software. In Europe, "computer programs as such" are excluded from patentability and European Patent Office policy is consequently that a program for a computer is not patentable if it does not have the potential to cause a "further technical effect" beyond the inherent technical interactions between hardware and software. [ 2 ]
Software patent
Why We Need To Abolish Software Patents
During my tech days, I co-authored four software patents . Each cost my startup about $15,000—which seemed like a fortune in those days. I didn’t really expect these to give me any advantage; after all if my competitors had half a brain, they would simply learn all they could from my patent filing and do things better. But I needed to raise financing, and VCs wouldn’t give me the time of day unless I could tell a convincing story about how we, alone, owned the intellectual property for our secret sauce.
Software Patent Index
Executive summary: BitLaw and the rest of the Interent contains a great deal of information on the patenting of computer software. This topical index provides one-stop shopping for learning about software patents.
Are Software Patents Evil?
March 2006 (This essay is derived from a talk at Google.) A few weeks ago I found to my surprise that I'd been granted four patents .
Richard Stallman, transcribed from a talk : So let’s see what happens if [an inventor] tries to use a patent to stop them. He says “Oh No, IBM. You cannot compete with me. I’ve got this patent.
Software patents
The Cathedral and the Bazaar
This directory gives you access to almost all of the contents of my evolving book, The Cathedral and the Bazaar . Enjoy — but be aware that I have sold O'Reilly the exclusive commercial printing rights. The papers composing this book (like their topic) are still evolving as I get more feedback. I made extensive revisions and additions for the first edition of the book The Cathedral and the Bazaar , and expect to continue adding and revising in future editions. Even if you've heard me do the stand-up version, you may want to reread it. These papers are not `finished', and may never be.
The stuff here is looking more at open source relative to innovation than how to do open source licensing or feel good about it or not. by gerald.barnett Apr 14