Path: utzoo!telly!moore!ziebmef!becker!geac!jtsv16!uunet!mcsun!hp4nl!eutrc3!euteal!plato From: plato@ele.tue.nl (plato) Newsgroups: gnu.misc.discuss Subject: Re: Why I do not support GNU Message-ID: <131@euteal.ele.tue.nl> Date: 18 Oct 89 08:48:30 GMT References: <8910160520.AA01740@sugar-bombs.ai.mit.edu> Distribution: gnu Organization: Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands Lines: 18 In article nelson@clutx.clarkson.edu writes: >True, but Apple wants it the other way. They want the ideas behind the >software (the "look and feel") to be protectable. Suppose I invented something, say a compact disc player. Everyone thinks its perfectly normal and sensible to get myself some patents. This way everyone can use and profit from my ideas but I would benefit too. In case of software products this procedure seems to be immoral. In fact it is not. There is a lack of legal protection for software products. Suppose I create a fine new programming language that everyone wants to program in and write compilers for. I think it's only normal and just if I have some benefit too. I totally disagree with rms wild non realistic out of this time ideas about intellectual achievements. I also disapprove of the way that criticism is treated (only a couple of days ago): fsf can repeat their opinions again and again. If someone disagrees they say: we've heard it all before, shut up.