[clug] [OT] Software Patents and Inventing.

steve jenkin sjenkin at canb.auug.org.au
Thu Mar 1 15:29:44 MST 2012


Reading this, I was struck by something exceeding relevant today with
FOSS and the fascination of BigCo with Software Patents.
<http://www.magneticdiskheritagecenter.org/100th/MercuryNewsArtcle.html>

"The origins of this magnetic storage really began with the theories of
mechanical engineer Oberlin Smith, who in 1878 proposed an improvement
on Thomas Edison's phonograph.
He never tried to patent any devices based on his theories, however, and
instead published his ideas for others to use, ``hoping that (his
theories might provide) a germ of good from which something useful may
grow.''"

[And for that famous 1898 quote (roughly) "it's all been invented"]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Holland_Duell>

Comes from 1998, A conference celebrating the 100th (not 50th)
Anniversary of Magnetic Recording.
<http://www.magneticdiskheritagecenter.org/100th/>


-- 
Steve Jenkin, Info Tech, Systems and Design Specialist.
0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)
PO Box 48, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA

sjenkin at canb.auug.org.au http://members.tip.net.au/~sjenkin


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