Re: Unidentified subject!
> Now as for the third, we need not simply buy patents
> and refuse to license them. We can also patent
> algorithms and techniques that are first developped in
> free software and use them to cross-license with other
> patent holders or some other approch entirely.
Have you seen how much patents applications cost? Even if every debian
developer contributes evenly, the cost of just one patent is significant.
There is no way I would support spending that sort of money on legal papers
that (may) be useless. Think of how much free software you could contract
people to wrote for the cost of a single patent; it simply isn't worth it.
> We may end
> up beeing forced to use some sort of patent pool (to
> turn patents on their heads).
Ok, here is an alternative suggestion. Register prior-art.org (or similar).
Put any and all prior art you find there. Whenever you think of an idea,
white it up and post it there. (WikiWikiWeb should do). Use index generating
tools (IDF style) to make navigation toerable.
This costs almost nothing in comparison, and someone may even find a use for
some of the ideas there. Ok, people can still threaten you with patents even
if you can plainly demonstrate prior art, but what do you think stops people
refusing to cross-licence and demanding you pay royalties?
Corrin
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