Re: [Exim] Is exim in trouble?

> I am against patenting ideas and algorithms. Science advances because
> people publish their ideas, and others build on them. Look how slow
> progress was, and how much duplication took place, in the centuries when
> publication was difficult. I am also against patenting human interface
> characteristics. It's a good thing nobody patented a steering wheel, or
> a mouse for that matter.

I am also against the patenting of ideas and such. Actually, i'm against
patents in general. To me it seems that "I make product and patent it so
you can't make it" causes a monopoly on that one product (microsoft
anyone?). I'm not up on history so I don't know what went on before
publication.

> However, I am a technician, and have no political skills. I have to
> leave it to others to fight political battles.

As am I.

> In the early days of any new technology, everybody studies what
> everybody else is doing, copies what they can, and tries to improve on
> it. Somebody built the first car - lots of people followed (patent for
> vehicle with 4 wheels, anybody?). One car maker invented the flashing
> light for turning indicators - within a few years, they were all doing
> it. There are plenty of similar examples.

IIRC, it was Henry Ford who made the first car (Interestingly, I have 2
Fords).

> When a technology gets to be more mainstream, people and companies start
> to get greedy, and the lawyers move in. This seems to be what is
> happening to software at the moment.

Sounds like something that happens in the larger parts of the USA. "Hurry
up and sue someone". I heard that some woman who peed in someone's pool
sued for embarasement and won (They had a chemical that turns purple when
that happens in the pool). Anyone for hot coffee in a car?

> I am glad that there are not too many years left before I retire.

Who'll take your place in exim? You do excelent work with exim Philip.

--
Lab tests show that use of micro$oft causes cancer in lab animals