emv@msen.com (Edward Vielmetti) (07/01/91)
This is a request for discussion of the newsgroup "comp.patents". There is a lot of discussion about patents going on on the net -- in comp.compression, gnu.misc.discuss, misc.legal, at least to name a few which I've run across so far. The discussion is mixed into several categories, each of which has its own character: - on the social usefulness of software patents. Centered around organizations such as the League for Programming Freedom, these discussions debate the merits and social good or evil that comes from software patents. - on the patentability or patent status of a particular algorithm. Concentrated in groups where there are existing software patents (comp.compression and comp.graphics come to mind) these are searches for and discussion of patent status of a particular algorithm or class of algorithms. (oh, sci.crypt too, in re public key crypto). - on the international patent law, related to the first point, in a variety of groups as well as perhaps slightly more focessed in misc.legal. - on business transactions that involve the exchange of patent information, such as cross-licensing of patents, or litigation resulting from same; comp.dcom.modems as example, though this is likely to pop up in any sci.* or comp.* group. I have no doubt but that there's enough interest and enough quality of opinion and information but to make this a worthwhile group. --Ed Edward Vielmetti, vice president for research, MSEN Inc. emv@msen.com MSEN Patent Watch is a trademark of MSEN, Inc.