Trivial patents *not the problem* (was: Re: [ILUG] Re: ILUG sends s/w patents briefing document to Irish MEPs)

[Colm MacCarthaigh]

On Mon, Mar 21, 2005 at 01:53:38PM +0000, Ciaran O'Riordan wrote:
> 1. There are no vacuum cleaner hobbists, no pharmacutical startups, no
>    companies that develop a custom in-house oven for baking the staff
>    dinners, and no person ever manufactures a car "because I needed to go to
>    the supermarket".
> 
>    Software is different.

Software is different, but it doesn't have a divine right to be. Why
shouldn't democratic society decide that we can do without software
hobbyists in favour of greater employment (say) ? That's the argument
you have to explain.

-- 
Colm MacCárthaigh                        Public Key: colm+pgp at stdlib.net