Abolish Software Patents in 2008?

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A growing number of software patents cover abstract principles that are essential to software development. Consider, for instance, patent 5,175,857, which covers simple and stupid concepts. A group of patent organizations are banding together in an effort to eliminate software patents that they claim are threatening innovation and resulting in costly and unnecessary legal battles.

The non-profit End Software Patents(ESP) project has received backing from the Free Software Foundation, the Public Patent Foundation, and the Software Freedom Law Center. The group will initially focus on two goals: helping corporations challenge software patents they believe have no legal validity; and pushing for laws that protect software innovation from patent law.

Will the software patents be obsolete this year? Do you think the software patents are helpful, or endanger innovations of both software developers and businesses?

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STEP 1:  My Prediction

	ZiiValue (chance)	MyValue (0% to 100% chance)	()	Possible Outcomes
	29%			No more software patents
	71%			Software patents remain legit

STEP 2:  Comment

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