It's now illegal to turn on your computer

[Joshua Zeidner]

On Dec 31, 2007 1:28 PM, Vaughn Treude <vltreude at deru.com> wrote:
>
> Joshua Zeidner wrote:
> > On 12/31/07, Vaughn Treude <vltreude at deru.com> wrote:
> >
> >> I can't resist joining the fray!
> >>
> >> On the one hand, I've personally never produced anything of value that
> >> wasn't "intellectual" property.  On the other hand, a society that
> >> actually tried to _enforce_ the copyright laws as they stand would be
> >> totalitarian indeed.
> >>
> >
> >   just to further clarify my stance here, although the linux world has
> > managed to create a world class OS...
> >
> >   do you really think that the Open Source 'bazaar' form of
> > organization could create the theoretical basis behind eg. context
> > switching or IPC?  not a chance.  Not to insult anyone, but it was
> > quite an undertaking just to decide what CMS to use for the PLUG web
> > site.  So my concern is that if we choose to abandon IP altogether, we
> > may be abandoning progress.  My personal interests probably lie on the
> > left side of things, but I know that unless some kind of balance is
> > introduced to the debate, these issues will never see the light of
> > day.
> >
> >   I guess at some level I wish for an IP system that actually works
> > for the common man, rather than the total abolition of it.
> >
>
> Agreed!  Though I haven't quite decided what that would be, especially
> in the anarcho-capitalist system that I espouse.  The current state of
> intellectual property reminds me of the bozos who plant "no trespassing"
> signs around a vacant lot they haven't bothered to fence. Government,
> protect my stuff! (Of course, the signs may just be there for liability
> purposes.)  :-)
>
> Vaughn
>

  not bothering to fence is definitely a problem in the patent world.
It seems that an important tactic of software companies these days are
'hidden' patents that the company tries to keep concealed until after
it is adopted by a sufficient number of users.  Most people are not
even aware that the Mp3 format is entirely patented.

  http://www.chillingeffects.org/patent/notice.cgi?NoticeID=464

  requiring companies to post visible 'no trespassing' signs on their
IP would perhaps solve a lot of problems.  Again, I do credit Bruce
Perens for being an early champion of this cause.

  http://perens.com/Articles/PatentFarming.html

  -jmz