[OT] Open Source, EULA - the Big Bad Bogeyman

[Richard Gaskin]

Lynn Fredricks wrote:
> There have been many times Ive been asked about new products during the dot
> com (and even now moreso in Web 2.5) eras wherein the developers are happy
> to knowingly file even when its clear they were too late or aware of
> significant prior art that would invalidate it if only anyone knew about it.
> The attitude seems to be "why not, if it passes by, we can bully others out
> of our market until we achieve market success".

It may be in the public interest to add a rule to the process: if it can 
be demonstrated at any time that a patent filer was aware of prior are 
before completing his patent process then the filer pays a penalty to 
the USPTO of $50,000.  That would put an end to that monkey business, 
and would bring much-needed funds to the PTO so they could begin a new 
era in which they actually read the patents they approve. ;)

--
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World
  Revolution training and consulting: http://www.fourthworld.com
  Webzine for Rev developers: http://www.revjournal.com