[Fsfe-ie] patents letter stuff

[Fergal Daly]

On Wednesday 14 January 2004 22:08, Ciaran O'Riordan wrote:
> I'd like to be able to point out that all software innovations that have
> pushed society forward, are patent-free.  So what other examples are there?

The classic example is the spreadsheet "if visicalc had patented..." this also 
applies to the word processor.

Point out also that there are companies that claim to have a patents on 
various types of e-commerce (and also on e-commerce in general I think). They 
have not really made a big effort to enfore these patents against the whole 
world, just a few weak individuals at a time, but if/when they do start 
fighting in earnest, it could be a major problem,

F