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From: r...@AI.MIT.EDU (Richard Stallman)
Newsgroups: gnu.g++.help,comp.lang.c++
Subject: Patents and boycott
Message-ID: <9011131733.AA27661@mole.ai.mit.edu>
Date: 13 Nov 90 17:33:20 GMT
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Posted: Tue Nov 13 18:33:20 1990

Software patents are similar in effect to interface copyrights, but
patents are probably more dangerous on the whole because they are
broader in their effect and not limited to interfaces.

It doesn't seem useful to boycott patent holders, because there are
too many of them.  Just about every computer company has software
patents.

However, this is not the case with look and feel lawsuits.  There are
only four look and feel plaintiffs, which leaves plenty of alternatives.

Perhaps it would make sense to boycott patent holders who actually sue.

For more information on the problem of software patents, contact
lea...@prep.ai.mit.edu.  Ask for the League position papers.