I don't see what's invalid about NetFlix patent. They came up with a
brand new business process which no one had thought of up to that point.
AFAIK, business processes are patentable IP.
Of course, it's certainly valid to argue that patents for many things
now-a-days last too long. I don't know what class of patent a business
process falls into, but I know many patents can easily last 17 years,
clearly far too long for something like software.
On Sat, Jul 12, 2003 at 05:42:08PM -0400, Jan Wieck wrote:
> weigelt@metux.de wrote:
> >[...]
> >We of the FFII/Eurolinux alliance are fighting against this.
> >On September 1st. the European Parlament will decide on an directive
> >draft from the JURI, which allow every idea to be patentable.
>
> Oh - that sounds great ... a bunch of blind people talking about the
> color of a rainbow ...
>
> I expect this to lead to the same stupidity of "patents" like NetFlix
> got lately. For those who don't know, NetFlix is a DVD rental company
> where you have an online managed list of movies you want to see. They
> send you the first 3 and whenever you send one back they send you the
> next via regular mail. The entire thing costs $20 a month, all postage
> paid, they provide the envilopes.
>
> Now they have a "patent" on their system of rental subscription service.
> I wonder how much the guy in the patent office got paid for that. If he
> claims he got nothing, IMHO he simply claims he's less smart than a
> piece of toast ... for granting such a rubber band patent you have to
> get paid or you're as stupid as it gets.
>
>
> Jan
>
> --
> #======================================================================#
> # It's easier to get forgiveness for being wrong than for being right. #
> # Let's break this rule - forgive me. #
> #================================================== JanWieck@Yahoo.com #
>
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--
Jim C. Nasby, Database Consultant jim@nasby.net
Member: Triangle Fraternity, Sports Car Club of America
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