[Haskell-cafe] US Patent for the idea of using Haskell to implement UAX #9

Ivan Lazar Miljenovic ivan.miljenovic at gmail.com
Sat Apr 17 03:03:03 EDT 2010


Brian Hulley <brianh at metamilk.com> writes:
> The main problem for me is just the fact that the legal system in
> itself is, as Charles Dickens wrote in "The Old Curiosity Shop"
> (Chapter 37):
>
>     ... an edged tool of uncertain
>     application, very expensive in the working,
>     and rather remarkable for its properties of
>     close shaving, than for its always shaving
>     the right person.

I like Humorix's take on the issue of patents
(http://humorix.org/articles/2000/01/linux-history1/):

Lawyers Unite
=============

Humanity faced a tremendous setback ca. 1100 A.D., when the first law
school was established in Bologna. Ironically, the free exchange of
ideas at the law school spurred the law students to invent new ways
(patents, trademarks, copyrights) to stifle the free exchange of ideas
in other industries.

If, at some point in the future, you happen upon a time machine, we here
at Humorix (and, indeed, the whole world) implore you to travel back to
1100, track down a law teacher called Irnerius, and prevent him from
founding his school using whatever means necessary. Your contribution to
humanity will truly make the world (in an alternate timeline) a better
place.

-- 
Ivan Lazar Miljenovic
Ivan.Miljenovic at gmail.com
IvanMiljenovic.wordpress.com


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