I'm proud that there is "a relative dearth of patent applications for the video game industry, especially considering how technology-dependent the video game industry is, and given its size in terms of annual sales."
Before issuing a condemnation, I try hard to think about it from their point of view -- the laws of the land set the rules of the game, and lawyers are deeply confused at why some of us aren't using all the tools that the game gives us.
Patents are usually discussed in the context of someone "stealing" an idea from the long suffering lone inventor that devoted his life to creating this one brilliant idea, blah blah blah.
But in the majority of cases in software, patents effect independent invention. Get a dozen sharp programmers together, give them all a hard problem to work on, and a bunch of them will come up with solutions that would probably be patentable, and be similar enough that the first programmer to file the patent could sue the others for patent infringement.
Why should society reward that? What benefit does it bring? It doesn't help bring more, better, or cheaper products to market. Those all come from competition, not arbitrary monopolies. The programmer that filed the patent didn't work any harder because a patent might be available, solving the problem was his job and he had to do it anyway. Getting a patent is uncorrelated to any positive attributes, and just serves to allow either money or wasted effort to be extorted from generally unsuspecting and innocent people or companies.
Yes, it is a legal tool that may help you against your competitors, but I'll have no part of it. Its basically mugging someone.
I could waste hours going on about this. I really need to just write a position paper some day that I can cut and paste when this topic comes up.
So many questions but, This has nothing to do with the subject but I am currently looking into the gaming bussiness as a game programmer, there is no one better to ask. I enjoy C++, but creating graphics with this langauge is leaving me a bit stumped. I have looked into the APIs of DirectX and OpenGL and having quite a bit of trouble, even with books. Can you recommend any schools, book, or tips you can give?
Just your #1 fan.
One more question you ever heard of Digipen college, your opinon?
So well said, and that is coming from a top software innovator who could have single handedly block the advance of small software houses (in United States, at least) had he taken measures including software patents, as Carmack was the first to employ many new ideas.
Software patents are nothing less than shameful, as they allow the patenting of IDEAS. It blocks innovation instead of seeding it.
I really need to just write a position paper some day that I can cut and paste when this topic comes up.
If you do end up writing that paper, you really ought to consider sending it to the gamasutra/Game Developer Magazine people for publication. It would be very valuable, as the IP Nazis have been well represented there the last year or so.
Professional wrestling: ballet for the common man.
Parasites. (Score:5, Insightful)
Before issuing a condemnation, I try hard to think about it from their point of view -- the laws of the land set the rules of the game, and lawyers are deeply confused at why some of us aren't using all the tools that the game gives us.
Patents are usually discussed in the context of someone "stealing" an idea from the long suffering lone inventor that devoted his life to creating this one brilliant idea, blah blah blah.
But in the majority of cases in software, patents effect independent invention. Get a dozen sharp programmers together, give them all a hard problem to work on, and a bunch of them will come up with solutions that would probably be patentable, and be similar enough that the first programmer to file the patent could sue the others for patent infringement.
Why should society reward that? What benefit does it bring? It doesn't help bring more, better, or cheaper products to market. Those all come from competition, not arbitrary monopolies. The programmer that filed the patent didn't work any harder because a patent might be available, solving the problem was his job and he had to do it anyway. Getting a patent is uncorrelated to any positive attributes, and just serves to allow either money or wasted effort to be extorted from generally unsuspecting and innocent people or companies.
Yes, it is a legal tool that may help you against your competitors, but I'll have no part of it. Its basically mugging someone.
I could waste hours going on about this. I really need to just write a position paper some day that I can cut and paste when this topic comes up.
John Carmack
Re:Parasites. (Score:1)
Re:Parasites. (Score:1)
So well said, and that is coming from a top software innovator who could have single handedly block the advance of small software houses (in United States, at least) had he taken measures including software patents, as Carmack was the first to employ many new ideas.
Software patents are nothing less than shameful, as they allow the patenting of IDEAS. It blocks innovation instead of seeding it.
A good example on how shameful the software patent system can be, and that even the simplest ideas can make its [ffii.org]
Re:Parasites. (Score:2)
If you do end up writing that paper, you really ought to consider sending it to the gamasutra/Game Developer Magazine people for publication. It would be very valuable, as the IP Nazis have been well represented there the last year or so.