COPYCENSE

“There’s a reason why some people are obsessed with their Blackberrys They speed up the pace of business and ensure constant access to your e-mail. But one day, your Blackberry may no longer work. The firm behind the product is in a legal battle with an Arlington (Va.) company that holds the patent on its technology. And [last week] the Supreme Court refused to get involved.

“It’s a dramatic example of a trend that some say is hurting software innovation. Patent challenges are increasingly common, and they don’t just affect large software companies. They may also make life more difficult for the tech department in your company. But supporters of patents say they’re still the best protection for inventors and their work.”

The Kojo Nnamdi Show. Tech Tuesday: Software Patents and the Law. (podcast) WAMU 88.5 FM (Washington, DC). Jan. 24, 2006.

See also:

Groklaw. Math You Can’t Use, Ch. 6 by Ben Klemens. Jan. 14, 2006.

Ben Klemens. Math You Can’t Use: Patents, Copyrights, and Software. 2005, Brookings Institution Press.

CopyCense™: K. Matthew Dames on the intersection of business, law and technology. A business venture of Seso Digital LLC.