[SC.LUG] America

[David Holden]

On Monday 18 Aug 2003 11:55 am, Matthew Tolley wrote:
> I don't like Christian Fundamentalism, Muslim Fundamentalism, Political
> Correctness, the totalitarian pretensions of the EU Commisson and a bunch
> of other stuff I see on the news, but I don't say things like "I don't like
> America". It's a bit like saying "I don't like Borneo" - it includes its
> landscape, people, culture etc etc - everything. It's a very sweeping
> statement to make and I suspect it wasn't meant literally.
>
> Bit of a radical statement to make about patents. I don't see how they
> could stifle innovation - quite the opposite. Do you have hard evidence, or
> is it just a theory?
>
>

Patents can stifle innovation because of incompetent patent office. This is a 
particular problem with software. Because patent offices have neither the 
expertise or resources to establish if an applied for patent is new and 
innovative leading them tp routinely give out silly patents. The result is 
that large multinationals who can afford to try and patent anything and 
everything create large patent libaries which they then use/abuse against 
small (innovative) software companies who cannot afford to fight a patent 
infringment claim.


A good part of the problem is that patents office get paid for the patents 
they grant, when in fact it would be much better to pay them for those they 
reject, thus giving them a much greater incentive to establish prior art.

 Dave.





>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: sc-admin@mailman.lug.org.uk [mailto:sc-admin@mailman.lug.org.uk]On
> Behalf Of Richard Pineger
> Sent: 18 August 2003 10:15
> To: 'sc@mailman.lug.org.uk'
> Subject: RE: [SC.LUG] America
>
>
> I think there is a name for 'IT', that uneasy feeling every time you look
> at the news... may I suggest:
> - neo-liberalism? or liberal fundamentalism as it has been called
> - Project for the New American Century (PNAC)?
> - Religious fundamentalism? (Christian not necessarily Muslim)
>
> Personally, and I expect this echoes with the Linux community, I don't like
> the current global patent system. It stifles innovation.
>
> Richard (with a very shakey link to linux)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Matthew Tolley [mailto:matthew@matthewtolley.com]
> Sent: 17 August 2003 15:30
> To: sc@mailman.lug.org.uk
> Subject: [SC.LUG] America
>
>
>
>
> To "Not like America" would presumably include anyone in it, anything of it
> etc. I don't personally dislike Yellowstone Park, Lake Apopca, or Steven
> Spielburg.
>
> Presumably you mean the US government, or US Foreign policy, or its legal
> system?
>
> Being strictly accurate, you don't MEAN that you "don't like America",
> surely? You mean you don't like something specific about the US system of
> government, I'd imagine?
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: sc-admin@mailman.lug.org.uk [mailto:sc-admin@mailman.lug.org.uk]On
> Behalf Of Ian Molton
> Sent: 17 August 2003 11:15
> To: sc@mailman.lug.org.uk
> Subject: Re: [SC.LUG] Prosperity
>
>
> On Sun, 17 Aug 2003 09:33:56 +0100
>
> "Matthew Tolley" <matthew@matthewtolley.com> wrote:
> > Do I detect anti-American sentiment there?
>
> I think anti-american sentiment is generally anti-american-politics.
> Lets face it, we hear about americas actions, not the actions of
> americans.
>
> I have friends in america. They are fine, but I still dont like america.
>
> --
> Spyros lair: http://www.mnementh.co.uk/   ||||   Maintainer: arm26 linux
>
> Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are tasty and good with
> ketchup.
>
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-- 
Dr. David Holden. (Systems Developer)

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