Software Patents Compared to Hard Patents

Arie writes "The Slate discusses the obvious differences between patenting an algorithm and a drug. The article introduces the Fence test, which basically says that if you can physically protect your property, you have a case patenting it. In addition, it claims that the burden on a programmer identifying whether he is infringing on a patent or not involves excessive research burden, essentially to the inherent lack of physical boundaries. Obviously the article starts off with mentioning the patent dispute between RIM and NTL."

I have software patents

[Neil Blender]

And they are protected by an electronic fence.

From Soft to Hard

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll bet Carmen Electra could turn a soft patent into a hard patent if she held it in her hands.

QED

[ObsessiveMathsFreak]

Mathematical algorithms cannot be patented.

All Software is mathematical algorithms.

Therefore, software cannot be patented.

The Slate can shove it.

My new patent: "select * from"

[tokengeekgrrl]

My unique algorithm prefix enables the extraction of data as contained within a one or multi dimensional data storage array that may or may not be indexed by key values of a primary or foreign nature.

I, hereby, charge a $1 licensing fee per instance of my patented algorithm used in all commercial or commercially viable applications.

- smarta**geekgrrl