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

[Alexander Jacob Tsykin]

On Thursday 20 April 2006 22:54, Robert McWilliam wrote:
> 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
The companies are not interested in the industry as a whole, nor should they 
be. Their job is to make a profit. Sometimes the best way for them to do this 
legally is through patents. There are of course limits. I do not believe in 
patented vague general ideas. I do believe in the right to patent specific 
ones, sometimes. And certainly, code should be patentable.

Sasha