On Fri, 31 May 2002 07:54:49 MDT, Vernon Schryver <vjs@calcite.rhyolite.com> said: > In theory that could happen. It may have happened in practice with > the Ethernet patent. But what's the point? What is gained by > winning such a patent from government(s) compared to publishing > the same document, other than a year or three of jumping through > hoops and plenty of money and hassles? The problem is that you can publish the same document, and then some sleazeball competitor patents it, because the patent office does such a poor job of researching "prior art". If http://www.bustpatents.com didn't have a reason to exist, I'd agree with you.
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