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Reminder: Today is the deadline to tell USPTO to end software patents

news.ycombinator.com

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Re: Reminder: Today is the deadline to tell USPTO to end software patents

#31

Post by amalcon »

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #30
amalcon wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tell this to Alan Turing or Alonzo Church.

Yes, and if you come up with a new theory of computer science, then run off to the patent office. But if (like most of us) you write A program, then its a program, not an equation or a theorem or anything else mathematical.

I think you miss the point. The fundamental insights that both Alan Turing and Alonzo Church independently had was that a program is an algorithm (or, more precisely, a numerical representation of an algorithm), which is mathematical by definition.

Re: Reminder: Today is the deadline to tell USPTO to end software patents

#32

Post by nitrogen »

Aetius wrote: post #23
nitrogen wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You could save yourself a lot of time and money by sharing the costs of the defense.

Great idea! I'll be sure to implement this in my next venture. Seriously though, does anyone really believe that writing a letter will get something done? Change in Washington, especially for esoteric topics like this, has a cost, and that cost is tribute paid to lobbyists.

...does anyone really believe that writing a letter will get something done?

Perhaps not, but a large enough flood of letters from actual software developers may slightly nudge USPTO policy for the better until someone lobbies Congress to force the USPTO to change.

Re: Reminder: Today is the deadline to tell USPTO to end software patents

#34

Post by JoeAltmaier »

amalcon wrote: post #31
JoeAltmaier wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, and if you come up with a new theory of computer science, then run off to the patent office. But if (like most of us) you write A program, then its a program, not an equation or a theorem or anything else mathematical.

I think you miss the point. The fundamental insights that both Alan Turing and Alonzo Church independently had was that a program is an algorithm (or, more precisely, a numerical representation of an algorithm), which is mathematical by definition .

And a lathe is an algorithm, and a cell, and ...

Re: Reminder: Today is the deadline to tell USPTO to end software patents

#35

Post by amalcon »

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #34
amalcon wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you miss the point. The fundamental insights that both Alan Turing and Alonzo Church independently had was that a program is an algorithm (or, more precisely, a numerical representation of an algorithm), which is mathematical by definition .

And a lathe is an algorithm, and a cell, and ...

I've had this argument several times before, and frankly I'm not interested in having it again right now. If you want to understand, I suggest reading the Wikipedia page on algorithms for a start. If you don't, this is also fine by me.

Re: Reminder: Today is the deadline to tell USPTO to end software patents

#36

Post by gnubardt »

rwl wrote: post #2

Send your email to: Bilski_Guidance@uspto.gov The FSF's suggested text is: Software patents hurt individuals by taking away our ability to control the devices that now exert such strong influence on our personal freedoms, including how we interact with each other. Now that computers are near-ubiquitous, it's easier than ever for an individual to create or modify software to perform the specific tasks they want done -…

Don't forget to CC licensing@fsf.org, so the FSF gets a copy and the USPTO knows there's a large organized body opposing software patents.

Re: Reminder: Today is the deadline to tell USPTO to end software patents

#37

Post by lukesandberg »

metageek wrote: post #25
lukesandberg wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

not really a fair comparison. Obviously in the case of slavery most people would believe that matters of economic stability play second fiddle to the overarching concerns of Justice and Morality. However, as evil as you may think software patents are, they are not on the same level. The USPTO should consider economic ramifications of a decision to stop issuing software patents, or to invalidate patents. I'm not sayin…

"Obviously in the case of slavery most people would believe that matters of economic stability play second fiddle" -- It wasn't obvious when slavery was legal.

True, that was mostly certainly historical relativism on my part. Maybe in 100 years people will look back on patent lawsuits similarly... but i doubt it

Re: Reminder: Today is the deadline to tell USPTO to end software patents

#39

Post by bendmorris »

sswam wrote: post #38

I don't care much about software patents. If people sue me for violating some patent, I'll publish on bittorrent and move to Sweden or some free country!

Why drop everything and move to some other country that you consider better than here instead of taking a chance to improve the country you live in?

Re: Reminder: Today is the deadline to tell USPTO to end software patents

#40

Post by rwl »

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #13
rwl wrote: post #2

Send your email to: Bilski_Guidance@uspto.gov The FSF's suggested text is: Software patents hurt individuals by taking away our ability to control the devices that now exert such strong influence on our personal freedoms, including how we interact with each other. Now that computers are near-ubiquitous, it's easier than ever for an individual to create or modify software to perform the specific tasks they want done -…

The suggested text is nonsense. Software is no more "mathematics" than are circuit diagrams, chemistry nor books.

> Software is no more "mathematics" than are circuit diagrams, chemistry nor books.

Really? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry-Howard_isomorphism

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