Greg Buchner wrote:
In article <RYkxf.6863$%W1.6228@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>, BluPhoenyx <bluphoenyx-@-earthlink.net> wrote:Greg Buchner wrote:In article <1137027687.240239.166720@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, aiiadict@gmail.com wrote:Now I feel like a software criminalWouldn't the patent have expired by now? Filing date: 1982-10-07 Publication date: 1985-11-26 20 years now, used to be 17, right anyone?Patent DurationUtility patents expire 20 years from the date of filing with the U. S. Patent & Trademark Office, if maintenance fees are paid. Plant and design patents do not require maintenance fees. Design patents expire 14 years from grant. A patent cannot be renewed. After a patent expires, anyone may use the invention without the inventor's permission.Well, I suppose then it's good that Disney can't patent Mickey Mouse. We'd be stuck with patents that go on forever, like Copyrights seem to be doing...
Bingo. As soon as we are within 5-10 years of Mickey Mouse entering the public domain, Congress dutifully (!) passes an extension of copyright term... Now. that's government in the public interest! ;-( -michael Music synthesis for 8-bit Apple II's! Home page: http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/ "The wastebasket is our most important design tool--and it is seriously underused."