Subject: RE: [linux-audio-dev] Interesting read on modelling instruments
From: Bob Colwell (bob.colwell_AT_attbi.com)
Date: Thu Apr 11 2002 - 22:00:21 EEST
The original poster had pointed
to Julius Smith's web pages, in which he shows copious detail on how to
model various physical musical instruments. The algorithms he shows are
not patentable as algorithms. So you should not be afraid to look at
them and dream up cool ways to use them.
I'm not saying there's no problem here. The problem shows up
next, when you embed the algorithm into a computer program. Computer
programs, in the US and increasingly, Europe (per your link below) are
being patented, and may be a concern.
But please...don't ever refuse to innovate on the fear that somebody else
may have been there before you, patented his solution, and is waiting to
ambush you if go the same way. That way lies disaster for everyone.
You don't necessarily want to go reading related patents, either. The
reason not to is that it exposes you to triple damages claims
later (for "willful infringement", instead of the "oops, didn't know"
kind.) The reason to DO it is that that's the reason for the whole patent
system in the first place. Other people show their good ideas publically,
so the world can benefit from them, and in return they get a temporary
monopoly and can license it to you in a mutually beneficial way. I sure
wish it actually worked that way.
-BobC
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-linux-audio-dev_AT_music.columbia.edu
[mailto:owner-linux-audio-dev_AT_music.columbia.edu]On Behalf Of xk
Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2002 10:40 AM
To: linux-audio-dev_AT_music.columbia.edu
Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] Interesting read on modelling instruments
> Patents on what? You can't patent algorithms. -BobC
This will change really quickly, at least in Europe.
http://swpat.ffii.org/papers/eubsa-swpat0202/index.en.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b28 : Thu Apr 11 2002 - 21:51:34 EEST