Re: Year 2000 woes solved? -Reply -Reply

[Scott Cornell <CORNELLS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>>> "Carl Friedberg wrote >>>
Scott, where've you been (no flame, just
wondering....)

  <<snip>>

An idea (expressed in software) can be
patented.
          ----------

Nice to know someone cares. ;)  I've not
been anywhere, just haven't had much to say
(and I think I've been a bit lax in adding
a signature line to my posts...sorry :))

As for patenting an "idea"...well I stand
corrected, but yeecch what a terrible law. 
I mean, doesn't that imply that if I write
a book (or a program for that matter) about
(for example) space aliens from Tau Ceti
then I can patent the idea of "space aliens
from Tau Ceti" such that nobody else can
ever write a book on the subject again w/o
ponying up to me?  Didn't the infamous
legal stuggle between Micro$oft and Apple
over the "look and feel" of GUI style
interfaces put that issue to rest, at least
in the software area?

Scott Cornell
Mercy Information Systems
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