Author: Andrew Dados
Date: 20:25:03 12/22/04
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On December 22, 2004 at 20:55:10, Uri Blass wrote: >On December 22, 2004 at 19:27:58, Dann Corbit wrote: > >>On December 22, 2004 at 10:45:20, Rafael Vasquez wrote: >> >>>Hello, >>> >>>I´ve seen a lot of controversy on the "Crafty Clones" threads. >>> >>>But when Fritz implemented the null move algoritm in 1995, did beat >>>Deep Thought (Hong Kong). >>> >>>Afterwards several engines (or most?) are using the null move technique. >>> >>>Can we call them "Fritz Clones" and ban then forever? >>> >>> >>>:))) >>> >>>Rafael >> >>The idea of Null move was first desribed by Beal in 1989, and then by Goetsch >>and Campbell in 1990. >> >>The null move algorithm was never patented, and therefore anyone can write an >>implementation of it. >> >>There is a difference between copyright protection (which covers a single >>implementation [or 'instance'] of an algorithm) and a patent (which covers the >>underlying idea). >> >>As an allegory, I can write a story about a bicycle race called "Le Malliot >>Jaune" and publish that story. Another person cannot take my story, xerox it, >>change 10 words and publish it under his own name. That is a copyright >>violation. He can (however) write his own story about a bike race with very >>similar ideas in it. >> >>On the other hand, I can invent a new cheese grater machine and get a patent on >>it. If someone else uses elements of my design that are covered by the patent, >>then I could sue them. Software patents are like that -- they protect the >>fundamental ideas of the algorithm. >> >>I don't like software patents (and hence agree with this): >>http://swpat.ffii.org/players/knuth/index.en.html >> >>But I would (of course) obey any laws regarding them. > > >Is there an agreement about the law between different countries? > >What if Country X says that they do not accept software patent and everybody can >use them? There is no agreement. Coincidentally just today software patent law proposal was blocked in EU: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/12/21/patents_dropped/ -Andrew- > >I do not know what says the israeli rule about it but if the rule supports >software patents I will certainly support changing that rule. > >If many countries will do it then the only practical choice of USA will be to >forbid software patents because if they allow software patents they put USA at >disadvantage relative to other countries and the patents will not be effective >against people out of USA who sell programs. > >Uri
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