Re: [pgsql-advocacy] Software Patents - Mailing list pgsql-www

On Friday 22 April 2005 11:15, Bruce Momjian wrote:
> Historically patents have protected small companies from having their
> ideas stolen by larger companies.  That has worked sometimes, and other
> times patents have been abused terribly, and this is not the first time
> patents have been abused.
>

One has to wonder, what is the difference between protecting small companies
from larger companies, or protecting small companies from large open source
projects who reverse engineer their software and distribute it worlwide,
putting said small company out of business.

> From an open source perspective, I think patents are the most effective
> way for proprietary companies to attack open source projects, and I am
> shocked that this has not happened already.  I am confused why it hasn't
> happened as much yet.  (I have asked folks at conferences and no one
> seems to know the answer.)  Perhaps it is because the enforcement of
> patents is too difficult, perhaps they realize open source is global and
> therefore can avoid enforcement, perhaps it the fear of bad public
> relations, or perhaps they are waiting for Europe to approve patents.
> (SCO vs. Linux is a copyright case and is easier to enforce.)
>

Perhaps because most open source projects have little to no money, s the
traditional process of sueing infringers for big $$ or to force licensing
arrangments just doesn't work.

> So, I am basically saying that there is a clear link between patents and
> possible attacks on our project.
>
> However, these are my personal opinions, and from a community
> perspective I feel we should have web site information that is approved
> by a large majority of our community.  Looking at the replies to this
> thread, I am not sure we have reached that large majority yet.
>
> By posting a news item, someone's email is attached to it and it doesn't
> need the same majority as a permanent statement would need.
>
> And what statement are you going to make that is going to get a large
> majority vote?
>
>  o  patents are bad
>  o  software patents are bad
>  o  trivial software patents are bad
>

You can post a statement that the postgresql project feels it is in our best
interest and in our users best interest to avoid patents within our code.
You can also point out that if there were no software patents, we wouldn't
have to worry about this.  I don't think anyone would disagree with the
above.

--
Robert Treat
Build A Brighter Lamp :: Linux Apache {middleware} PostgreSQL