Introduction to Patents (in Videos)

Dr. Roy Schestowitz

2007-10-20 16:40:23 UTC
Modified: 2007-10-20 17:05:26 UTC

Here is a decent introduction to the key issues with software patents, delivered by Mark Webbink. Below you'll find some past coverage along with videos that make various points.

Software patents

Trivial invention and obvious patent from Burst (direct link to video)

Explanatory video from FFII on the problem with software patents (direct link to video)

“Show Us The Code” letter (direct link to video)

“Show Us The Code” story (direct link to video)

Jerry Rosenthal (short and blurry) (direct link to video)

Eben Moglen on the Novell/Microsoft patent deal (direct link to video)

Even Moglen on the "be very afraid tour" (direct link to video)

General Patents

Patents satire (trollish) (direct link to video)

Funny 'invention' (direct link to video)

Patently absurd (direct link to video)

Patents that cost lives (direct link to video)

Moral issue with patents (direct link to video)

Monopolies earn the most from patents (direct link to video)

The “Patent Troll” video (direct link to video)

EFF Talks about patents (direct link to first video), European patent law (direct link to second video)

Victim of patent abuse (direct link to video)

Europe and patent laws (direct link to video)

Intellectual Property

Eric Schmidt on intellectual property (direct link to video)

Joke about copyrights madness (direct link to video)

Others

The Microsoft/Apple deal (direct link to video)

FSF/SFLC Call for donations (expired video)

Last edited in 2007

Recent Techrights' Posts

Despite the Mass Layoffs Microsoft's Debt Soared by 5.1 Billion Dollars in Just 3 Months: This is why Microsoft asks 60,000 workers to leave
What Linus Torvalds Told Me Two Decades Ago: It seems like he was eager to distinguish himself from the "elders" of FSF [...] For anything "revolutionary" to happen in the sciences one must accept the risk of living in poverty like Tesla (the person, not the right-wing fanatics) and Torvalds isn't too old to "cause a stir"
"Early Retirement" (Silent Layoffs) for Everybody Except the Executives: Some will stick around even past 70
Gemini Links 30/10/2026: Solar MiniBBS, Kubernetes With FreeBSD, "Sysadmin Day": Links for the day
Microsoft Layoffs Far Worse Than the Media Tells (Microsoft Spin Laundered as "Reporting"): Some people are made to "retire" and sign an NDA to make it seem like a happy ending and mostly consensual retreat
Links 30/10/2026: Google Crashes on Slop Disappointment and GAFAM's "Data Center Blitz Is Burning Through Cash and Scaring Wall St.": Links for the day
Fake 'Articles' in The Register MS Concerning "AI": We don't suppose The Register MS will be around for much longer after this bubble pops
GNU/Linux as a Free Software Platform is More GNU (and GPL) Than Linux: GNU predates Linux by nearly a decades and it was born to tackle injustices
Who Or What Are Security Professionals/Experts?: Companies like GAFAM are willing to tolerate cheaters because those companies themselves are cheats
Intercontinental Brigading - Part XXIII - What Garrett Did Puts Elections at Risk (Also in His Own Country, Where a Dictator Trusts Only Machines That 'Support' Him): UEFI 'security' is only as trustworthy as its ferocious boosters
Gemini Links 30/10/2026: RIP Patrick Stewart and Amp Integration: Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...: GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, October 29, 2026: IRC logs for Thursday, October 29, 2026
The Metric is Not the Mission: "Passing Thoughts" by Andy
More Than 5 Years Have Passed Since Official Release of Vista 11 and in the US It's Measured as Only 3 Times Bigger Than GNU/Linux on the Desktop/Laptop: If mobile is culled from the statistics, then GNU/Linux is somewhere near 11%
It's About Intention, Not Attrition, at Microsoft: Microsoft does in fact aim to push many workers off the cliff
The Next 50 Years of Emacs (and GNU): GNU's founder made the widely used editor, GNU Emacs
Links 29/10/2026: Microsoft-Connected and Funded Openwashing at FOSDEM, Tragedy in Spain: Links for the day
Gemini Links 29/10/2026: London, Worcestershire, and Robot Exclusion Protocol: Links for the day
The Register MS is Publishing Spam About "AI" for HP, Sponsored by HP, Even Composed by HP: Or "HPE" as they choose to call themselves (with the hype of "enterprise")
Links 29/10/2026: Anthropic Still Sued Over Copyright Infringement (Plagiarism Isn't "Training"), Elon Musk Openly Admits He Helps Putin Crush Ukraine: Links for the day
Intercontinental Brigading - Part XXI - Techrights Was Right, So Why Was It Punished by Lawfare While the Culprits Walk Away Scot-free?: Techrights did a public service, cautioning about real risks to the public, but the people who caused the problems walk away scot-free
Intercontinental Brigading - Part XXII - Still "Radio Silence" From "Restricted Boot" Perpetrators (After Techrights Proven Right Again): Maybe when they sober up they'll say something...
'Secure' Boot Is Not Secure, Here Are News Reports About the Latest Evidence: We'll be linking to this page in the future as evidence of the catastrophe
No, Microsoft Isn't Doing Well (It Has Struggled for a Long Time): Microsoft isn't growing, the shares are a Ponzi scheme of sorts
What Makes Techrights a Community: Communities can accomplish a lot. They cannot be "bought" and "sold", they're based on trust, mutual respect, and shared ideology.
Linux Links 29/10/2026: Refractor Stargazing and Making Better Use of RAM in Linux: Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...: GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, October 28, 2026: IRC logs for Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Project Glasswing and PHP2Shell vulnerability: by Akira Urushibata
Turning Point for the Slop Industrialists: First, a lot of people who work on "hey hi" at Microsoft (no matter the buzzword or brand, e.g. "copilot") are impacted
Links 28/10/2026: Slop Bubble Pops in China, Rocky Linux Creator Becomes Slopper, Openwashing by the Slop Pushers Explained: Links for the day
Gemini Links 28/10/2026: Slop Plagiarism Considered a "Weapon", "Completely restored HTML interface to the Orbital Fox mailing list": Links for the day
The Corrupted Corporate Media is Spinning Massive Microsoft Layoffs as "Investment in AI" Instead of Evidence That "AI" Nonsense is Catastrophic: Microsoft asking 30% of its staff to leave is a sign of bubble
Links 28/10/2026: "Rest of World Faces Prospect of Shutting Down" and Robert Reich Says "Musk Wants Me Imprisoned": Links for the day
Gemini Links 28/10/2026: Cold Outside Again and Maths: Links for the day
Intercontinental Brigading - Part XX - Restricted and Moot, or How 'Secure Boot' Turns Out to be a Disaster (Again) This Week: It already has a history of breaking/bricking servers
100 Years of IBM Racism: GAFAM is not about "diversity" or "equity" or whatever. It's a greedy, money-making venture, even if they appoint CEOs of colour
Racism at Microsoft: Microsoft tribalism has an element to it aside from corporate allegiance
Intercontinental Brigading - Part IX - Literature About Malignant Narcissists in America Silencing the Press: There's a price for criticising abuses
Compelling Examiners at the European Patent Office to Fake "Growth" (in Patent Monopolies) Using Slop and Sloppy Processes: The agenda of management is likely illegal and the methods likewise
Over at Tux Machines...: GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, October 27, 2026: IRC logs for Tuesday, October 27, 2026