Free?

[Chante]

Steven Schveighoffer wrote:
> On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 02:39:29 -0400, Russel Winder
> <russel at russel.org.uk> wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 2011-10-26 at 17:50 -0400, Steven Schveighoffer wrote:
>> [ . . . ]
>>> But today we have patents of these things, because they stifle
>>> innovation.  It creates artificial barriers that only exist because
>>> people
>>> have gamed the system.
>>
>> I assume you are based in the USA, since "we" here in the UK do not
>> allow patents on software.  It is currently explicitly stated as not
>> being patentable in its own right.  Software within machines can be
>> covered by a patent for the machines, but software cannot be
>> patented on its own.
>
> Yes, I'm talking about US patent system.  I wish we had the UK system.
>
> And even if you are in the UK, you are affected by the US patent
> system because software you write that may be infringing on US
> patents cannot be sold in the US without being subject to lawsuit.
>

Thank you. I asked just that very question in my prior post. Now I know.