Re: FSF : lackeys of their corporate masters

[Martin Dickopp]

John Hasler <john@dhh.gt.org> writes:

> Martin writes:
>> If you want to ensure that your idea stays free, just publish it
>> instead of patenting it and then contributing it to some kind of
>> pool.
>
> This would work fine if the patent system worked as designed.
> Unfortunately, there is a very high probabilty that the examiners will
> miss published prior art.  The only prior art they rarely miss and
> almost always honor is pre-existing patents.

Yes, I see the problem.  Well, at least the published prior art could be
used as a defence when the patent is actually used against you.

> One possible approach is to prosecute the patent until it issues and
> then abandon it without paying all the fees.  This puts it both in the
> public domain and in the patent office records.

Interesting idea.

Martin