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Subject: Re: Gothic Chess Patent Links...

Author: Ed Trice

Date: 12:19:55 01/07/04

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Hello Dr. Hyatt,

>
>Perhaps you should explain to your attorney the "context".  Ask him if you
>or he can prevent _me_ from writing a program that plays any game on the planet.
>The answer is _no_.

Of course this is correct. Nor could I stop someone pointing a gun at me from
killing me, it is still illegal to commit murder.

>
>BTW we _do_ have several patent attorneys here, since drugs, bio-engineering,
>and all sorts of things are patented every day...
>
>you patent a drug, I can make it all day in my house for my own use...

This is not what you are claiming in your original post...

http://www.talkchess.com/forums/1/message.html?340742

"You can patent the game, but you really can't prevent someone from writing a
program that _plays_ that particular game, and then he can do with it what he
wants, from selling it or giving it away."

My take on this is that you have changed your view. Someone can write a Gothic
Chess program if they want to do so, but they are forbidden to do what you
mention (sell it or give it away) without a license.

If you write a Gothic Chess program and play it on your PC, there is nothing I
could do to stop that.

Put it in your /pub directory, then watch what comes rolling in :)

There are currently 3 licenses for Gothic Chess that have been granted.

Not a lot, as you mentioned...but this is more than a billion times the count
from 2002 (which was 0).

Dr. Hyatt, I am not trying to be an atagonist at all. I don't give out medical
advise because I am not a physician. While I did run  the New York City marathon
in 1993, I am not a long distance personal trainer. In 1998 I could becnh press
515 pounds, but today I am not a strength trainer.

Today I enjoy playing Gothic Chess, programming the game, and helping others to
do the same.

Your arguments are interesting and thought-provoking, just please do not offer
it as "sound legal advice."

You might say Gothic Chess is "not mainstream", but  I have sold Gothic Chess
sets to every state in the USA, every province and territory in Canada, and 47
different countries.

It is not what you are, it is what you are becoming.

USCF memberships are on the decline. I know about their financial debacle since
I met with Stan Booz and spoke with Grant Perks about the problem. Yasser
Seirawan offered to buy the Education subset of the membership for an
undisclosed amount.

And next week, when Bruce Pandolfini returns from his travelling, we are going
to play a two-game exhibition of Gothic Chess.

Please do me the service of not hurling generalized insults about my game. I did
not slight you in any way on this forum, I am just defending my intellectual
property.







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