[Asterisk-Users] g.729 - licenses and opinions

[Andrew Kohlsmith]

> Just remember that you were given those patents as incentive to invent so
> that ultimately your work would go into the public domain so we can all
> enjoy it. We are buying your work with our tax dollars by protecting it
> for a short period of time so you have a little monetary incentive.

BZZZT!  Wrong.

He was given those patents as in incentive to invent something that he could 
SELL without everyone on the planet copying his hard work and competing on 
his idea.  Patents put the process out in the public so that it's easy to see 
when someone's infringing.

17 years for software patents is FAR too long, IMO, but that's an entirely 
different story.  IMO software patents shoudln't be for more than ~24 months 
since the industry moves so blazingly fast.

Regards,
Andrew