Re: Ethics question... (c) on ideas - OT rant

> You cannot copyright ideas, and the PHP language is only an idea. I beg to disagree. The copyrighting or patenting of software is currently a topic, at least in the European Union. <OT subject='copyright on ideas' type='emotional rant' ot='genetics'> In the gene world it is general (mis)practise to patent medical plants which have been used for ages in other countries (Peruvian wonderflower, Indian Neem tree) and often they even get away with it (AKA 'Biopiracy'). Also many companies are patenting gene sequences which is a DISCOVERY not an INVENTION. That's huge now. Some company copyrighted some gene while assuming that MAYBE it MIGHT be useful for infections, cancer and they named 23 other diseases but forgot HIV. Eventually it turns out to be interesting concerning HIV and they now also want to (financially and legally) CONTROL HIV research. Patenting an invention is officially impossible in most countries but they get away with it. Sorry I know its OT but this remark hit a very sensitive spot. Bloody Monsanto, Aventis, Syngenta's. If you don't know them: they're like the microsoft in agriculture, where better solutions are not getting enough attention and chances because of the big ones having less scrupules and more PR and lobby. </OT> Chris -------------------------------------------------------------------- -- C.Hayes Droevendaal 35 6708 PB Wageningen the Netherlands -- --------------------------------------------------------------------