Software patents [Was:Re: Oracle intersted in buying Ubunutu]

[Robert McWilliam]

On Thu, 20 Apr 2006 21:47:25 +1000, "Alexander Jacob Tsykin"
> A good example is the games industry. A major selling point for the
> best games is not just specific code. It is ideas. Gameplay is also
> important. They don't just need to control use of software through a
> license, they need to be in a position to ban it completely should
> that be necessary.
>
> Sasha
>
I'm not buying that one: Copyright covers the artwork and the storyline
etc in a game (and of course the code for the engine). Patenting a game
would be like the first person to make a flight simulator (or consider
making one the way patents are ATM) would then get a monopoly on flight
simulators. 

This is actually bad for pretty much everyone concerned - the games
industry is going to be starved of innovation because only established
companies get to make new games, so the industry wont grow much and
existing firms end up having all of a small pie rather than a bit of a
big one, new companies don't get to exist and gamers get less choice of
games.

Is the games industry currently patenting games and starting down this
road? (I don't pay much attention to games.)

Robert
------------------ 
  Robert McWilliam
  rmcw at allmail.net
  www.ormiret.com

  The days of the digital watch are numbered.