[Fsf-friends] Adobe's position on software patents has changed?

[Anivar Aravind]

On Wed, Sep 24, 2008 at 6:48 PM, Anivar Aravind
<anivar.aravind at gmail.com> wrote:
> A quote from todays Hindu report by Anant parthasarathy
> http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/24/stories/2008092461930300.htm
>
> Naresh Gupta, Sr. Vice President, Print & Publishing Business Unit
> Adobe, and Managing Director, Adobe India, a leader of the imaging
> software and solutions business, says: "We believe in safeguarding of
> intellectual property rights. Adobe invests significant resources
> towards innovation and we expect protection of our Intellectual
> Property Rights, to be able to sustain business."
>
> The position of Adobe on software patents in 1994 published by James
> Huggins is here
> http://www.jamesshuggins.com/h/tek1/software_patent_adobe.htm
>
>
>   Let me make my position on the patentability of software clear. *I
> believe that software per se should not be allowed patent protection*.
> I take this position as the creator of software and as the beneficiary
> of the rewards that innovative software can bring in the marketplace.
> I do not take this position because I or my company are eager to steal
> the ideas of others in our industry. Adobe has built its business by
> creating new markets with new software. We take this position because
> it is the best policy for maintaining a healthy software industry,
> where innovation can prosper.
>
>   The problems inherent in certain aspects of the patent process for
> software-related inventions are well-known, the difficulties of
> finding and citing prior art, the problems of obviousness, the
> difficulties of adequate specifications for software are a few of
> those problems. However, *I argue that software should not be
> patented, not because it is difficult to do so, but because it is
> wrong to do so.*
>
>   In summary, these are my main points:
>
>       * the software industry thrived without patents, creating its
> fundamental base in an era of no software patents;
>       * software patents harm the industry, with no corresponding benefit;
>       * software embodies mathematical algorithms;
>       * the law, starting with the Constitution, argues against
> patents for software-related inventions;
>       * and last, the proper form of protection for software is copyright.
>
>
> I strongly feel we  need to  write an Open letter to Adobe  asking for
> its policy change.

I mean We need to to ask adobe why its policy is changed?

Anivar

-- 
Any responsible politician should be encouraging a home grown Free
Software industry because it creates the basis for future jobs.
Learning Windows is like learning to eat every meal at McDonalds.