> On Jul 3, 2018, at 4:24 PM, Dale E Sterner <sunbeam...@juno.com> wrote: > [...] > If I was a drug copany or inventor; I'd try to get a copyright > rather then a patent. I'd type the description out on a type writter > an register it. No generic drugs for years. >
Then there are Patents. At first glance, a patent may seem to be the same kind of thing as a copyright. But, it is a completely different thing and is not interchangeable. How does a patent differ from a copyright? Well, the core difference is a thing is copyrighted. An idea or process of a thing is patented. Lets take software patents and copyrights as an example. Basically... A piece of software is a implementation of an idea and cannot be reproduced in whole or in part without the permission of the copyright holder. A software patent is the idea of how to do something. That idea cannot be cannot be preformed without the permission of the patent holder. An example of a patent, in modern software is “Swipe to Unlock” on mobile phones. Someone came up with the idea that this would be a cool way to unlock the phones user interface and got a patent for that idea. It is an idea or process. A copyright on a single implementation would not protect the inventor of “Swipe to Unlock” from having their idea stolen. They are nearly infinite ways to write such code. So, you would register a trademark for the name ‘Swipe to Unlock’ to prevent anyone form using that name. Patent the idea of how to unlock a phone using a sideways swiping gesture. And finally, copyright your implementation of the code to actually perform a phone unlock with a swipe. These are completely independent and separate concepts from each other. Personally, I’m all for Trademarks and Copyrights. Patents on the other hand, I’ve got mixed feelings. They have their good points and bad points. I think the patent system could use a major overhaul. Jerome ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot _______________________________________________ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
