Richard Stallman: Software patents victimize developers. [via Slashdot: Stallman on Software Patents]
Nobody is so brilliant they can create completely new music that everyone wants to listen to, and nobody can create software that does not use existing ideas.
… Before software patents, most developers published new ideas they thought they would get credit for. Now the patent system is supposed to encourage disclosure of new ideas. But in the old days nobody kept ideas secret; they did keep the code secret, but they published the ideas; that way employees got credit and felt good. After patents they still kept code secret but now they keep the ideas too.
§
I am no longer accepting public comments on this post, but you can use this form to contact me privately. (Your message will not be published.)
§
© 2001–9 Mark Pilgrim