Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!uhccux!virtue!comp.vuw.ac.nz!munnari.oz.au!murdu!ucsvc!wehi!baxter_a
From: BAXTER_A@wehi.dn.mu.oz
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: thought Dillon and friends would like to know
Message-ID: <10743@wehi.dn.mu.oz>
Date: 2 Aug 90 12:49:50 GMT
References: <1990Jul27.204559.26305@athena.mit.edu> <1990Jul29.024841.1000@agate.berkeley.edu> <90210.100908GRGREF@BYUVM.BITNET>
Organization: Walter & Eliza Hall Institute
Lines: 17

> 
> Actually, a patent *is* protection for ideas...a copyright is protection
> for an implementation. 

CRAP. A patent is protection for the owner (not necessarily the inventor)
of an INVENTION. An IDEA cannot be patented in the US unless it has also
been IMPLEMENTED. Then, it is the IMPLEMENTATION which can be patented
IF it also meets other requirements (like not being public knowlege, being
inventive (!), etc).

An algorythm per se can not be patented. Was probably is patented is the
implementation of the algorythm in modems. (I don't know, I'm just guessing).
In which case, there is no problem.

Regards Alan

(hey, we had a legal eagle talk to us last night, okay)