4 ms·

New Zealand's no #swpatents stance is attracting companies looking to relocate

12 points by timClicks 15y ago

timClicks 15y ago
tl;dr At this stage, our business is preparing to move to New Zealand once it is clear that software patents are invalid there. We are a company of six highly talented people, including mining engineers, a mathematical physicist, and myself (computer scientist). Our company is growing, and we are going to have to hire more people this year.
Stormbringer 15y ago
Much as I admire NZ, I think the author misses a crucial point. The thing that makes silicon valley special is not the quality of its computer scientists. Sorry to say this cali, but you're probably average in that regard. The difference is that in SV there is a confluence of business and IT guys. AND The business guys actually respect the IT guys. Having worked in a wide variety of locations in the English speaking world, I can say this is pretty special. Just about everywhere else one of two conditions prevails: (a) either the business people don't respect the IT people OR (b) the IT people don't know how to find good business people to be co-founders. So many times I see business guys who undervalue IT "I want to build the next eBay, (vague specs) can you make me that website for $3000 ??" (appropriate response: can you die in a fire, please). Or scam artists looking to get rich and toss the IT a mere pittance for their efforts.
bpodgursky 15y ago
The article is interesting (I didn't realize NZ had taken such a strong step) but the "# swpatents" mess in the title is confusing and doesn't really add anything.
- timClicks 15y ago
  Sorry, this is a Twitterism and I thought that it would translate quite well to Hacker News. Apparently not. Will look at docs to change title. Am fairly a new participant in the community (have been lurking for a few years) though and am not sure if that's possible.
uvTwitch 15y ago
Wouldn't this mean that US-patent-infringing software developed in New Zealand couldn't be sold elsewhere in the world?
- timClicks 15y ago
  IANAL, but patent law offers national protection only. That implies that software protected in the USA is only protected in the USA.

12 points by timClicks 15y ago

tl;dr At this stage, our business is preparing to move to New Zealand once it is clear that software patents are invalid there. We are a company of six highly talented people, including mining engineers, a mathematical physicist, and myself (computer scientist). Our company is growing, and we are going to have to hire more people this year.

Stormbringer 15y ago

Much as I admire NZ, I think the author misses a crucial point. The thing that makes silicon valley special is not the quality of its computer scientists. Sorry to say this cali, but you're probably average in that regard. The difference is that in SV there is a confluence of business and IT guys. AND The business guys actually respect the IT guys. Having worked in a wide variety of locations in the English speaking world, I can say this is pretty special. Just about everywhere else one of two conditions prevails: (a) either the business people don't respect the IT people OR (b) the IT people don't know how to find good business people to be co-founders. So many times I see business guys who undervalue IT "I want to build the next eBay, (vague specs) can you make me that website for $3000 ??" (appropriate response: can you die in a fire, please). Or scam artists looking to get rich and toss the IT a mere pittance for their efforts.

bpodgursky 15y ago

The article is interesting (I didn't realize NZ had taken such a strong step) but the "# swpatents" mess in the title is confusing and doesn't really add anything.

timClicks 15y ago
Sorry, this is a Twitterism and I thought that it would translate quite well to Hacker News. Apparently not. Will look at docs to change title. Am fairly a new participant in the community (have been lurking for a few years) though and am not sure if that's possible.

uvTwitch 15y ago

Wouldn't this mean that US-patent-infringing software developed in New Zealand couldn't be sold elsewhere in the world?

timClicks 15y ago
IANAL, but patent law offers national protection only. That implies that software protected in the USA is only protected in the USA.