[mythtv] Philips MythTV presentation at CELinux[MESSAGE NOT SCANNED]

[Colin Guthrie]

Steven Adeff wrote:
> Its things like this that make people hate Corporations.

I have to agree overall, but do have some caveats.

<rant myth-dev-relevence="low">

I think it was very good of Arnoud to write to us on the mailing list 
and explain things. There is no obligation from corporations such as 
Philips to do this and I think it sets a very good example to other 
companies that are far worse in this regard. So thank you Arnoud.

Personally I have campaigned very hard with the FFII in the UK against 
changes to the EU Patent directive which were thankfully thrown out by 
the EU a year or so ago due to the overwhelming public protest.

So I am the last person to defend the patent system which I feel is 
fundamentally tilted in favour of those with money and believe me I have 
battled back and forth with the arguments with various politicians, 
business leaders and Free software enthusiasts.

So, I feel the patent system is ultimately unfair, but I am also a 
realist. If say HyperGlobalMegaCorp decided that they, like me think 
that "patents are bad mmmmm-kay" and scrap any filing of new patents, 
the fact of the matter is that other, less idealistic corporations, will 
basically have them over a barrel by exploiting the known flaws in the 
patent system (particularly relating to prior art, in the public domain 
or otherwise).

So it would be unrealistic to expect Philips to not patent things like 
this, and I don't blame Philips per-se for doing so. I blame the system.

Arnoud stated in his mail "This particular patent application (not a 
granted patent!) is not used in any product, nor do we have such 
plans.". While I'm not gullible and the fact that there are "no such 
plans" today doesn't affect what will be planned tomorrow, we have to 
realise that that is the best we can make of a bad situation (assuming 
the patent is bad which is my general rule of thumb, although as stated 
in earlier threads we could use this signal quite cunningly in Myth!!).

I think there is little point in getting annoyed a corporations. 
Fundamentally, they are out to make money. They will use every availible 
technique to do this within the law (and often beyond), so if the system 
allows them to have massive patent wars with each other and squash the 
saller competition/Free software movement in the process, then they will.

The real blame lies at the doors of the various patent offices around 
the world and the governments that give them their authorisation.

</rant>



-- 

+------------------------+
|     Colin Guthrie      |
+------------------------+
| myth(at)colin.guthr.ie |
| http://colin.guthr.ie/ |
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