Re: Question about copyrights and "open" standards.

[Keith Hood <klhra -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

--- Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca> wrote:


> If your manager doesn't want to do this, then you
> shouldn't do it.  
> You could cause serious trouble for your employer if
> the copyright  
> holder decided to use the knowledge of your
> existence to squash you  
> as a competitor. But really, if they're "the biggest
> in the  
> industry", why would they bother? 
>

You're operating on the "why would elephants t care
about ants" theory. But some elephants enjoy crushing
ants. Maybe they got to be the biggest in the industry
by squashing other companies with their lawyers.

It seems to me that the current situation concerning
"intellectual property" rights has gotten a bit crazy.
Companies are using patent lawsuit threats as a means
of practically extorting money or concessions from
competitors. The RIAA seems bent on suing everyone who
ever thought about download music without paying for
it. Intellectual rights litigation seems to have
become a growth industry. In this atmosphere, I think
it behooves the original poster and his employer to be
concerned and wary. There are trends in legal thought
just as in fashion. If the 'biggest in the industry'
company did decide to do something about it, the
courts today may likely be disposed to hear them
favorably.

Geoff is right about one thing - get advice from
someone who specializes in copyright law. This issue
is too tricky for anything less.

----------------

Keith Hood
Senior (only) tech writer
ACS, Inc.

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