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submitted 15 hours ago by moe90@feddit.nl to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[-] Buttons@programming.dev 100 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Patents and video games huh? We can't ignore what John Carmack had to say about this:

The idea that I can be presented with a problem, set out to logically solve it with the tools at hand, and wind up with a program that could not be legally used because someone else followed the same logical steps some years ago and filed for a patent on it is horrifying.

--John Carmack

[-] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 6 points 6 hours ago

More like he wouldn't be able to sell his solution to others, but yeah I think Patents on simple processes and mechanisms are dumb, especially certain software and firmware.

[-] BigPotato@lemmy.world 9 points 3 hours ago

Imagine if you had a hammer and decided to use it to hit a nail and then someone came along and said "I see you're using my method to build a house! Pay up!"

Well, you can't patent something like that!

Imagine you open up a game engine, any engine, and decide you need to point to an objective so you decide to use an arrow. A game company says "You're using our method to identify objectives! Pay up!" and that one is a unique mechanic?

How long has humanity been using arrows to point to things? How can you patent it just because it's a digital arrow?

[-] finitebanjo@lemmy.world -3 points 2 hours ago
[-] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 3 points 1 hour ago
[-] finitebanjo@lemmy.world -3 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

No, the very premise of that user's analogy is that he isn't profiting from it. If somebody invented hammering nails literally this year and a company came in selling it as a product without permission, then it would be comparable. It reads as if he failed to read my comment entirely but still replied with multiple paragraphs.

The game development analogy is better, floating arrows about characters heads was actually patented, but it was widely criticized and it expired in 2019. Plus I already took offense to simple mechanisms and especially certain software and firmware solutions.

[-] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 2 points 1 hour ago

A patient on hitting a nail with hammer is ridiculous if it's your framing or theirs.

[-] finitebanjo@lemmy.world -2 points 1 hour ago

Countless buildings would never be built if you didnt invent hammer and nails, being paid royalties for a few years by large businesses who make use of it seems pretty fair.

[-] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 1 points 1 hour ago

You have absolutely zero knowledge of history, I'm embarrassed for you.

[-] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

We're very clearly not talking about history, we're talking about the ridiculous hypothetical of if Hammering Nails to build Houses was patented today.

I can understand why you'd think that was fucking silly, my original response to it was "jfc this guy"

[-] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Yeah pretty much, that comment set the mood. I'm cool, I hope you are too.

It is interesting as a thought experiment if very basic human improvements could have been shut out from other people using them.

What if, for example, Plato was able to "copy right" his ideas. Or if any of the ideas from the Renaissance where prevented from being iterated on. Would we have the scientific method today?

Edit: Electricity? Pfft have fun with only one person owning the right to use it for 175 years. Next to no improvements for almost two centuries.

[-] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 1 points 28 minutes ago* (last edited 27 minutes ago)

Again, people are not shut out from patented ideas. Tbey're shut out from selling them to third parties. And Electricity WAS patented in the USA, they lasted 17 years from the date of issue.

Is this lawsuit deadass about the game mechanics???

I need to out my fucking reading glasses on.

[-] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago

idk, but the user above me made a general statement about patent laws and I responded in kind.

this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2024
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