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Six impossible things before breakfast
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| Intellectual freedom versus intellectual property
|
| The liberation of information has been going on for a long time: one might
| say for all of human history, as history itself is one of the oldest forms of
| information sharing. There are several major landmarks dotting that course,
| which I might point to: the invention of spoken language, of writing, of ink
| and paper, of block printing, movable type printing, digital typesetting,
| electronic distribution, and most recently, the internet.
|
| Each of these steps has produced an opening up in the exchange of
| information, resulting in more efficient technological progress, followed by
| additional steps in increasing our communications abilities. These steps have
| been associated closely with massive and rapid improvements in science,
| health, and standard of living, for most of human history. And, despite
| post-modernist angst, the reality is that there aren’t many of us who would
| genuinely trade our present lifestyle for that of our ancestors: especially
| if we consider the additional pressures imposed by population growth.
`----
http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/books/mihrfc/six_impossible_things_before_breakfast
US presidential campaigns clash on patent law
,----[ Quote ]
| Intellectual property advisors to both US presidential candidates have said
| that the US patent system is in need of reform. The advisors told a meeting
| at last week's Democratic Conference that patent quality must be improved.
`----
http://www.out-law.com/default.aspx?page=9401
Recent:
McCain senior advisor Carleton Fiorina
,----[ Quote ]
| But the fact is. A company that wants to invest in patent lawyers can expand
| the number of patents it holds as it likes. Just reallocate resources to the
| legal department. And HP under Carly Fiorina did that, increased the number
| of patents it applied for dramatically. But does it mean more innovation?
|
| [...]
|
| I recently noticed that SUN Microsystems announced to abandon its patent
| inflation strategy as over-patenting was not worth the investment. It is
| difficult to assess the strategic value of a mine field and you don't find
| good data how much profit is generated by patents, which patents generate
| profit or benefit for the company and which are not worth the investment. In
| most companies investments in patents follow a rule of thumb. Large holders
| seek profit with patent portfolios like hunters with a shotgun aim for a
| flock of birds.
`----
http://stopsoftwarepatents.org/forum/t-86439/mccain-senior-advisor-carleton-fiorina
McCain advised by software patent & tobacco lobbyists?
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| McCain is advised by pro-software patent lobbyist Ray Gifford, ex-President
| of the Progress & Freedom Foundation (a Washington 'think-tank' notably
| financed by Microsoft lobby proxy CompTIA). Gifford was speaking in a
| conference Europe about the failed software patent directive with all the
| pro-software patent lobbyists. Progress & Freedom Foundation runs the
| IPCentral blog.
`----
http://stopsoftwarepatents.org/forum/t-86361/mccain-advised-by-software-patent-tobacco-lobbyists
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