“Patent Encumbered” = “We can’t rip it off”

Patents are one of the prime examples of the FOSS three “D“s;

Declare – patents stop us “innovating”!
Demand – abolish software patents now!
Drama – WAH!! Patents are ebil!

I can only think of one case where software patents have actually stopped innovation. Apple sued GEM in the 80s and forced them to cripple their graphical environment because it violated their patent on stacking window managers. That’s it, and it was more than 20 years ago.

Wait, why is this related to MonopolyWouldBeOkIfWeDidIt™?

LOL Ted LOL! You inspired me!

Here are the three C’s of Linux zealotism:

Convert – Linux zealot: “Linux > Windows”, a normal guy installs Linux
Claim – exaggerate the Linux desktop to make sure they USE it
Cry – when they can’t counter an argument, they get furious

Three of my TMs link to these C’s respectively.

Convert – GoLockYourselfInACage™
Claim – LogicDoesntCutIt™
Cry – BrainsForBugs™

+1 BTW

@_SW:

That was the intensely silly debate over the garbage can, wasn’t it?

Oh, and the link is because the “patents” non-issue and the “monopoly” non-issue are frequently applied to the same post.

@ReactOSGuy:

Well, I suppose you could attach pretty much any TM to the concept. We do seem to be short of Patent-related ones, though. Keep searching!

@TED:

It’s even better than that. Remember the silliness over the Novell patents?

Not only are actual patent issues anathema to the Loons … they also need to feel a justified sense of paranoia over potential patent issues.

Meanwhile, people who actually get things done, get things done. It’s not really rocket science.