Not crypto, but this list has moved out onto IPR issues before, so..

[Adrian Midgley]

From: Julian T. J. Midgley <jtjm@xenoclast.org>

>The lesson to be learnt from the USA would appear to be that software
>patents are prone to abuse, are rarely adequately
understood/researched by
>those granting them, are consequently granted even when they ought to
have
>been declared invalid and serve /only/ to redistribute wealth in the
>direction of the lawyers.  They stifle innovation, place small
companies
>at the mercy of corporate behemoths, and, so far as I can tell, have
no
>useful place in society.

J Midgley is right!

--
A Midgley