[openip] Re: "rights" and "freedoms"

[Robert M. Muench]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: vab at smtp.ufl.edu [mailto:vab at smtp.ufl.edu]On Behalf Of V.
Alex
> Brennen
> Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 3:33 PM
> To: Ross N. Williams
> Cc: openip at egroups.com; rms at gnu.org;
license-discuss at opensource.org
> Subject: [openip] Re: "rights" and "freedoms"

> The number of trivial software patent applications should
> slow  drastically if a significant number of such
> applications were rejected.

Very good point! Knowing that someone is tracking your company's
move and knowing that people are sensitive to fight for their
freedom, has a big influence on the patent investment and I'm
sure the 'shadow-PTO' group will be widely known in a short time.

> I think that it's critically important that some
> effort be put into eliminating trivial software
> patents.

Absolutely.

> I would be willing to put some effort
> into a group such as Robert suggested.  I think
> a revitalized LPF would server better than an
> expanded FSF.  However, I think the FSF could
> play an important role as well by working on the
> authoring of internet standards free from trivial
> patents.  The W3C does not appear capable of
> authoring such standards.

Any suggestions? They key success factor for such a group IMO is
to have a 'workflow' how to show the triviality of a patent
application with very little effort.

Robert M. Muench, Karlsruhe, Germany
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