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Geek Culture / direct the patent office to stop issueing software patents

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bitJericho
22
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Joined: 9th Oct 2002
Location: United States
Posted: 26th Sep 2011 13:26 Edited at: 26th Sep 2011 14:09
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If you live in the US and you care about the future of software, you should sign this petition!

https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/%21/petition/direct-patent-office-cease-issuing-software-patents/vvNslSTq


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Hodgey
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Posted: 26th Sep 2011 14:00
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Although I can't sign it I thoroughly agree with it. I can understand the need for some software patents but a vast majority of them are unnecessary and are preventing developers (especially indies) from reaching their full potential. The advancement in technology is a gift to be shared not something to sue each other over.

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zenassem
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Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: 27th Sep 2011 02:48 Edited at: 27th Sep 2011 02:55
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Didn't Hasbro try to patent entire game genres years back? I don't mean copyright... I think they full-on tried to patent entire game genres.

Here was a small snippet I could find on SlashDot.
http://games.slashdot.org/story/00/04/19/2020234/hasbro-and-game-design-lawsuits

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DJ Almix
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Posted: 27th Sep 2011 03:15
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I completely agree with this,

its really annoying seeing cell phone manufactures fighting idiotic claims back and forth all just for sales.

[annoying patents] Also, please stop using more then three periods in your posts, I have that patented for good reasons, and I will sue you. [/annoying patents]

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heyufool1
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Posted: 27th Sep 2011 05:09
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Signed

"So hold your head up high and know. It's not the end of the road"
Switch Game Engine
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Neuro Fuzzy
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Posted: 27th Sep 2011 23:09
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I bet that people could patent "Regular hexahedron based voxel engines for gaming mechanics", and then file claims against minecraft xD

ugh. freaking lawyers.


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MrValentine
AGK Backer
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Playing: FFVII
Posted: 28th Sep 2011 03:41
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@DJ Almix I use ... so dont sue me lol...

I still do not understand the implication for us UK Based Dev's... any light on this guys?...

... ... ...
[look three sets of three dots] my reywal will be knocking on your door, in a parrallel universe...

Aside from the caper of the three dots, these patents are so frustrating and yes a gigantic road block.

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Jeku
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Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Posted: 28th Sep 2011 10:52
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Quote: "I can understand the need for some software patents but a vast majority of them are unnecessary and are preventing developers (especially indies) from reaching their full potential."


And there's the problem. You can't specifically say that some software patents are more "important" than others, objectively. I totally agree with software patents, actually.


Software Engineer - Metamoki
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Hodgey
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Posted: 28th Sep 2011 12:33
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Quote: " You can't specifically say that some software patents are more "important" than others, objectively."

Very true Jeku and I agree with software patents in general but I think that some software patents shouldn't be patents (or I'm interpreting those patents incorrectly). If anything they should reduce the duration of software patents. Technology advances very quickly nowadays and I think 20 years is a bit to long to hold on to a software patent. But as the old saying goes "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" so off to the drawing board I go.

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Quik
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Location: Equestria!
Posted: 28th Sep 2011 13:22
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Quote: " I totally agree with software patents, actually."


I too: to some degree.
but i must say if i were to choose: patents or no patents then i would choose no patents, they mostly hurt the industries..

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IanM
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Posted: 28th Sep 2011 15:41
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Software is maths. Maths isn't patentable (or shouldn't be) as you discover things with maths, you don't invent things.

When mathematicians who write software tell you that software is maths, isn't it a good idea to listen to them?

Obviously not - In the case of US Law, errors of fact made by the courts have elevated these mistaken rulings to the level of Case Law - once you have one mistake, it contributes to the next, snowballing through the years. That Case law (ie laws made by courts, not by Congress) is where things are right now, being used by pretty much everyone as a method of holding back the competition, which is pretty much the opposite of what they are supposed to do.

Also, pick one: patent or copyright. No other branch of human creation and/or discovery gets both, but software somehow does.

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PAGAN_old
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Posted: 2nd Oct 2011 12:02
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how about stuff like open sourse? Whats the patent/sue situation with that?

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
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IanM
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Posted: 4th Oct 2011 00:47
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Mostly it has no effect. About the only place it might is for GPLv3 and for other licenses that have patent clauses.

For GPLv3, if you have a patent and ship software that includes that patent, then you have to provide a royalty-free license to that patent to all current and future users of that software - this stops people sabotaging GPL'ed software with patents.

Otherwise, if you aren't shipping the software, then the patent is yours and you can demand a license (hence the ... well, extortion pretty much sums up my feelings on the matter, of Microsoft vs the Linux community, regarding the 235 patents they won't give any details on - how can you stop infringing when you don't know what you're infringing?)

This is what software patents (though TBH, it's not JUST software patents) have turned into - a way to gather in money you don't deserve, or to restrict your competition.

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MrValentine
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Posted: 5th Oct 2011 06:56
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@IanM

Well put!

{Very Informative too thanks a lot!}

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Libervurto
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Posted: 6th Oct 2011 00:21
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I have patented pi. You are all screwed!

Join DNG today! We are a game development team open to all. Visit our Headquarters to learn more.
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