What is patenting?

[Satissh S]

Recently i came across a word called 'patented' in Digit issue. What does it actually mean. A Friend of mine said that its releted to copyright.

ps: I dont know whether to post this in "in general" or "Software Reviews" section. So i posted it here. If mods find that this section is inappropriate plz move it to "in General" Section. ThankU

[GNUrag]

A patent is an exclusive right given by the law to the inventor to get commercial benefits out of the invention. Within that timeperiod if someone else comes up with same idea then the other person will not be able to sell it commercially.

More on patents:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patents

Why patenting of software is harmful.
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/stallman-mec-india.html
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/savingeurope.html

[Satissh S]

ThankU very much. Then i guess if a software company makes something new they can patent it so that others won't use the same concept or is it like that?

[AlienTech]

Patenting is the copy righting of an idea. While copy righting is the process of that idea. You have to do both generally. You can patent anything even if you don't have a finished product.

I think its a lame gimmick for use in imperialism and world colonization come up from people with a total lack of inventions. Like using all those ideas stolen from the Africans and Arabs and taking those ideas and patented by all those drug companies for their exclusive use. Since these people who came up with the idea are dead for thousands of years no one will contest it. And even if they were not, Patenting and copyright, The Right being might and money, those with the most money will win in most cases.

I can understand copyrights. No one should steal your work and make a profit on it. But its just a gimmick now. A company like IBM has libraries full of patents. And I do mean entire huge warehouses. If they can come up with an idea they will patent it no matter what. Its not like they have to prove it works or useful or anything. Once others get it working they will take it and ask you for money for developing it.