Stallman Critical of OSDL Patent Project 226
PatPending writes to mention a News.com article about Richard Stallman's objections to the OSDL patent project. He argues that the project may actually be 'worse than nothing', as it will undermine certain legal tactics. From the article: "'Thus, our main chance of invalidating a patent in court is to find prior art that the Patent Office has not studied,' Stallman wrote. Second, patent applicants could use the prior art uncovered by the OSDL to write patent claims that simply avoid the technologies used in the tagged software. 'The Patent Office is eager to help patent applicants do this,' Stallman wrote. Finally, he wrote, a 'laborious half measure' such as the Open Source as Prior Art project could divert attention from the real problem: that software is patentable in the first place."
Re:Playing the odds (Score:0, Funny)
if for no other reason than he hasn't (to the best of my knowledge) been wrong yet. In any prediction. Ever.
"640K is more memory than anyone will ever need" - Richard Stallman, 9/14/1988
Re:Playing the odds (Score:5, Funny)
Ooh! Let me try! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Playing the odds (Score:1, Funny)
Yeah, that's when Stallman said "In fact, forget the kernel!" and so we all had to use Linux instead.
Re:Moral correctness is not enough (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Neither Stallman nor Gates (Score:3, Funny)
So would I.
Re:Bad Analogies aplenty in this thread (Score:3, Funny)
Or is it more like starting a fire in my house without locks on the doors or windows?
Or, wait, maybe it's like setting my lock on fire and waiting for a bunch of people or organizations to pour water into new fireproofing techniques?
Or maybe it's more like a car where the hood is welded shut and a fire starts inside it and you have the Jaws of Life but no one is inside the car?
Or maybe it's like Blockbuster video but instead of renting things you set them on fire and the drama section is like Linux and the horror section is like Microsoft and the movie candy and paraphernalia at the counter are like prior art and your Blockbuster card is like software patents?
Oh! Maybe it's like a store where you set the merchandise on fire, but then you can rent it but still not own it, but if you buy the merchandise on fire, you can keep a man warm for his whole life?
I'm confused...
Re:Playing the odds (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Ooh! Let me try! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Playing the odds (Score:5, Funny)
---- baby.c ----
/* This code is distributable under the terms of the GPL. However, I *
* retain full rights to its output for up to eighteen years. */
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <unistd.h>
void main()
{
void *a = malloc((size_t) weight);
sleep(270 * 24 * 60 * 60);
if (fork())
{
free(a);
my.weight -= 20;
wait();
}
else
{
my.length = 18; /* Inches */
my.weight = 101;
printf("Hello, world!\n");
}
}
--------