keeping patentable algorithm free

[John Cowan]

Ian Lance Taylor wrote:

> One easy and relatively inexpensive way to publish an algorithm with a
> legally verifiable date in the U.S. is to register it with the
> U.S. copyright office.  You can send them a program listing, and they
> will basically file it with a timestamp.

Sorry, not enough.  For patent purposes, the invention must be
described in openly available literature.  Registration with a
government agency doesn't cut it, as nobody (in practice) can obtain
the listing.  Publication on Usenet or the Web serves the necessary
purposes: the algorithm must be *available* to persons learned in
the art.

-- 
	John Cowan	http://www.ccil.org/~cowan	cowan at ccil.org
Schlingt dreifach einen Kreis um dies! / Schliesst euer Aug vor heiliger Schau,
Denn er genoss vom Honig-Tau / Und trank die Milch vom Paradies.
			-- Coleridge / Politzer