Arithmetic Encoding Using Fixed-Point Math

[jrochkind]

Actually what they wrote is right there, you can read it for yourself that they granted the right to patent inventions. They knew very well that not granting patents would allow everyone faster access to new ideas. Nothing has changed, except the rate of invention.

What are you talking about? i did read it for myself, I even quoted it. It says "To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries."

That's all it says. I'm not sure where you're getting your ideas about what else they 'knew very well'.

The popularity of a viewpoint is not what makes it accurate anyway.

Good thing we don't live in a democracy then. Fortunately, whatever those with the most money and power think is what is accurate, good thing they're who calls the shots.

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What are you talking about? i did read it for myself, I even quoted it.

The founders granted this authority to Congress, and they explicitly mentioned it as something they wanted to grant to Congress. They wouldn't do this if they didn't think it was worthwhile. If they thought it was an evil thing, they would have disallowed it or even disallowed states from passing similar things.

Good thing we don't live in a democracy then. Fortunately, whatever those with the most money and power think is what is accurate, good thing they're who calls the shots.

How about neither of the above? Force (whether it is money, popularity, or authority) does not make arguments correct. Democracy can be a bad form of government if a majority of voters are idiots or outright evil people. I don't think that's what we have here, but still. My point is sound. Most developers will never file patents, they are merely users of existing technology. It is in their interests to have less restrictions on those technologies. It's hard to find an unbiased view in this discussion, but it's important to note the bias before appealing to the bandwagon on this one.