Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!mybest!bigtex!james From: james@bigtex.uucp (James Van Artsdalen) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: SEA & I'm not happy! Message-ID: <8123@bigtex.uucp> Date: 17 Sep 88 01:08:15 GMT References: <4574232@ <16800358@clio> <925@psu-cs.UUCP> <1988Sep13.185106.14193@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu> <506@mks.UUCP> Reply-To: james@bigtex.UUCP (James Van Artsdalen) Followup-To: misc.legal Distribution: na Organization: F.B.N. Software, Austin TX Lines: 27 In article <506@mks.UUCP>, wheels@mks.UUCP (Gerry Wheeler) wrote: > Didn't I hear once about some form of protection (copyright, trademark, > or something) which had limited duration? Patents last 17 years from the date granted by the patent office, and are granted on a first-to-invent, not first-to-file basis. Ever note how most patents seem to be pending and not actually granted? This is because companies will stretch out the patent application process since the clock doesn't start running until the patent is granted. You can add years to the effective life of the patent by dragging out the application process. The other thing to note is that it doesn't matter when you file a patent (as long as it's within a year of invention) because the US uses the unusual first-to-invent system: the initial inventor gets the patent, not the first person to file. This is a little fairer than first-to-file, but can make for messy patent fights. Patents must be vigorously defended against all violators, making a patent expensive to hold. Copyrights last for either 50 or 75 years after the death of the author (I can't remember which). You don't have to defend against each violation like you do with a patent. Trademarks last forever if defended and used. -- James R. Van Artsdalen ...!uunet!utastro!bigtex!james "Live Free or Die" Home: 512-346-2444 Work: 328-0282; 110 Wild Basin Rd. Ste #230, Austin TX 78746