[net.followup] Software Piracy -- Copyrights & Patents

tjt@kobold.UUCP (04/07/84)

Although I do not know patent law, I have heard of something called a
"design patent" which seems to be closer to a copyright (protecting the
form of something) than a patent (protecting an implementation of an
idea, and to varying extents, the idea itself).  Supposedly, at least
one manufacturer of cast-iron woodburning stoves was done in for
violation of a design patent on the stove of a different manufacturer.
However, I think it is also rather rare to take out design patents.
-- 
	Tom Teixeira,  Massachusetts Computer Corporation.  Westford MA
	...!{ihnp4,harpo,decvax}!masscomp!tjt   (617) 692-6200 x275

raymond@zps.UUCP (Doug Raymond) (04/13/84)

Was this whole foofaraw triggered off by one lousy theft of one
lousy program?  An alleged theft at that?  How some people
(yrs truly included) spend their time!

barmar@mit-eddie.UUCP (Barry Margolin) (04/15/84)

--------------------
From: raymond@zps.UUCP (Doug Raymond)

Was this whole foofaraw triggered off by one lousy theft of one
lousy program?  An alleged theft at that?  How some people
(yrs truly included) spend their time!
--------------------
It wasn't even started by software theft.  It started because someone
posted the words to "Weird" Al Yankovik's "Eat It" song.
-- 
			Barry Margolin
			ARPA: barmar@MIT-Multics
			UUCP: ..!genrad!mit-eddie!barmar