Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!shelby!apple!usc!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!zephyr.ens.tek.com!tektronix!psueea!parsely!percy!qiclab!mntgfx!plogan From: plogan@mentor.com (Patrick Logan) Newsgroups: gnu.misc.discuss Subject: Re: Patenting software (was Re: Why I do not support GNU) Message-ID: <1989Oct24.155833.5957@mentor.com> Date: 24 Oct 89 15:58:33 GMT References: <8910160520.AA01740@sugar-bombs.ai.mit.edu> <131@euteal.ele.tue.nl> <17359@watdragon.waterloo.edu> <31007@ Distribution: gnu Organization: engr Lines: 34 In-reply-to: barmar@kulla's message of 19 Oct 89 23:57:13 GMT In article <31007@news.Think.COM> barmar@kulla (Barry Margolin) writes: >> What makes physical processes so special? Why is someone who figures out >> that putting two gears together in a particular way does something useful >> entitled to more protection than someone who discovers that putting two >> gotos together in a particular way is useful? They both have invented new >> mechanisms, so they should be entitled to similar protection. >> >> Barry Margolin, Thinking Machines Corp. >> >> barmar@think.com >> {uunet,harvard}!think!barmar Why should someone's reward for creativity be tied to his or her health and well being? Why should someone's lack of creativity also be tied to health and well being? What are some other ways to inspire creativity and hard work? How much more could be accomplished if people felt free to pool their creativity? It's possible that the survival of the fittest is no longer a useful concept (it's not a "paradigm"), especially applied to human society. What if... What if I wasn't so idealistic? Why is there air? Zippy: "Hold the MAYO & pass the COSMIC AWARENESS..." Doctor: "Maybe your plans have something to do with this." (from M-x psychoanalyze-pinhead) -- Patrick Logan | ...!{decwrl,sequent,tessi}!mntgfx!plogan Mentor Graphics Corporation | plogan@pdx.MENTOR.COM Beaverton, Oregon |