Re: [Fsfe-uk] Re: [discuss] Open source software News

[Simon Waters]

MJ Ray wrote:
> On 2004-05-28 21:44:16 +0100 Timothy Baldwin
> <address@hidden> wrote:
> 
>> How do claim that patents, a form intelluctual propiery, and therefore
>> a form of private propetry, are socialistic?
> 
> 
> They "nationalise" the intellectual property by publishing the idea,
> with a time-limited monopoly on the patented thing being given to the
> holder as "payment", don't you think? In the long term, the patent is
> still there for all to read after the "payment" has been "spent".
> 
> Of course, mathematical methods are discovered expressions of natural
> relationships and not patentable inventions...

... in Europe this week.... ?

I think the gene patenting is also a worrying trend, there was a brief
news item on the breast cancer 1 and breast cancer 2 genes in this weeks
New Scientist, saying that the priority is now held by a European
publically funded body, so that women won't face a licence fee on every
blood test.

Although I'm unclear how a patent can ever apply on all such tests that
relate to the gene - if the patent related to the testing that is
different - but the gene has existed for many year and is discovered not
invented.

Can anyone enlighten me on this point?

-- 
 http://info.thyroidpatients.org/

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