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yes, DARPA provided funding...
But patents are awarded to individuals. And there doesn't seem to be any indication that they were required to transfer their patents to the government.

Even if that were the case, it's instructive to note that the greatest advances in human civilization and technology occurred with free, open standards, not proprietary, closed standards.

One other thing: the federal reserve did a study a while back that showed that investment has declined since software patents were upheld by our courts. You can see the study here:

http://www.phil.frb.org/files/wps/2003/wp03-17.pdf

Here, they find that as software patent proliferated, investment in R&D decreased. They also found that patenting standards had loosened considerably.

Consider the difference: patents cover the idea; copyrights cover the text. So if you have a patent on a software "idea", no matter how others write the software, they infringe the patent.

So who is going to invest in that?

Is that what you call capitalism? Free enterprise?

Remember, when Microsoft says they want to destroy the competition, that means they want to eliminate our choices for software. They have openly stated they intend to do this with software patents.

That is the point.
Posted by: Scottman_z   Posted on: 07/13/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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But, but, but.... Patents don't protect small companies.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/13/05
i have a question...  Monkey_MCSE | 07/13/05
Answer  LinuxHippie | 07/13/05
works for me..  Monkey_MCSE | 07/13/05
I think they ar around 40 to 50 people.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/13/05
Great News  Richard Flude | 07/13/05
Rule of thumb...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/13/05
The "We're the only ones who can write code" club  Scottman_z | 07/13/05
If memory serves  LinuxHippie | 07/13/05
yes, DARPA provided funding...  Scottman_z | 07/13/05
follow up question  LinuxHippie | 07/13/05
to be precise  DarbyOhara | 07/14/05
Of course you can...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/14/05
A sad view of life  Richard Flude | 07/13/05
Works as it should.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/14/05
Don't be so naive  Richard Flude | 07/14/05
I don't think  michael_t | 07/15/05
Still hung up on invalid comparisons  JusPassinThrough | 07/13/05
Another useless bitty rant  JusPassinThrough | 07/13/05
U.S. definition of "small business"  BruceWheelock@... | 07/14/05
Whine all you like, it's a small business.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/14/05
Why MS needed the TOE ? Why  michael_t | 07/13/05
MS caught stealing...again!!!  bystander_z | 07/14/05
wink  bchesmer | 07/14/05
Just another day at the office for...  Colonel_Panic | 07/14/05
Another payoff!  Reverend MacFellow | 07/14/05

What do you think?

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