[geeks] Win32 Threads

[Lionel Peterson]

--- "Jonathan C. Patschke" <jp at celestrion.net> wrote:
> Why, again, are folks allowed to patent technology and then treat it
> like a trade secret, when the entire reason for patent law is to get
> technology out in the open (to move forward the state of the art) yet
> ensure a certain degree of temporary non-competition?  Oh, nevermind.

That is exactly why. Prior to Patent Laws, AFAIK & IANAL, an inventor
had no recourse when their idea or tech. was copied. By filing for a
patent (and disclosing how their invention/tech. works), they are
granted  temporary (n years) patent that allows them to control the use
of their invention/technology.

There is no requirement to license an invention or technology.

Why bother to invent (say) a better router, if Cisco can just buy the
first one, tear it apart and then market it themselves, with no benefit
to you? That was the problem patent law was envisioned to address.


=====
Lionel

"Nothing would please me more than being able to hire ten
programmers and deluge the hobby market with good software"
Bill Gates, in "An OpenLetter to Hobbyists" dated February 3, 1976
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