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Story: Microsoft ordered to stop selling Word

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So how do you protect "intellectual property" ?

The issue here is that intellectual property (IP) is not easy to protect. Many moons ago a Judge in the UK threw a case of 'copyright' out because he could not read with the naked eye(i.e. "see") the code in a chip. Thus if software was burnt in a ROM it was NOT covered by copyright ... This is what started the whole schmozzle about patenting software. In the EU (where I live) one cannot patent software. In the US one can!
I'm not suggesting that IP should not be protected - I have spent many long hours working out how to make a program do what I want - and it involves hard thought. Just because the end results of my efforts can be easily copied does not de-value the skill needed. Just like a painting or music - if the artist wishes to protect the work they should be allowed to. I agree with the concept of Open Source, if someone wishes to provide the IP for free then they should be allowed to. Indeed I have let a few of my 'softwares' go free. However if I'm working for a client they own the IP and I would never dream of releasing code that I do not own. I would not steal a car, money or even a DVD... People should also be allowed to protect hard work if they wish to. How else will the economic system survive unless the mechanism of "a fair day's pay for a fair day's work" exists.
Mind you I'd love to evolve to "no money", but that won't happen until we have working replicators ... I digress, sorry.
Oh and by the way, I don't side with Micro$oft ... ever... the mad machine that it has become is deserves all it gets. Sending out press releases that state that 'Open Source' TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) is greater than the equivalent M$ products ... C'mon!
I hope they do get told to stop selling word!
I hope I'm not infringing any IP with my ideas as stated here!

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