[clue-talk] Microsoft Claims 235 Patents Violated

[Nate Duehr]

On May 14, 2007, at 4:45 PM, David L. Willson wrote:

> It's time we took the idea of 'honor' back out of the closet, and
> openly discussed the idea that stealing from a thief makes one an even
> more lowly thief.  Not everything is relative.  There are things more
> important than money. Stolen is the most expensive.  Refuse to steal.

I'm not saying it is or isn't, just need to point out here that  
you've just described the whole crux of the problem and didn't  
realize it.  The question, "Is an idea something you can steal?" --  
is at the heart of all Intellectual "Property" lawsuits and Patents,  
Copyrights, etc.

I put "property" in quotation marks because we Americans think in  
these terms... but in some cultures, no one owns ideas.

> Refuse to behave dishonorably, and refuse to endorse it in others,
> whether those others are individuals or companies.

Many people believe that ideas are NOT something that can be treated  
as property (I'm not saying that, I'm just explaining "their" side),  
and don't feel that copying an idea is "dishonorable" at all.

That's the underlying problem.  :-)

--
Nate Duehr
nate at natetech.com