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Why I hate software patents: IBM patents trim()
- gaius 18y agoErrm, according to that what they've patented is not-trim.
- wyday 18y agoCan you clarify, this is what I read: "A computer implemented method of automatically removing space characters from data being entered into a database system comprising ..."
- gaius 18y ago"Hence, the use of TRIM functions when retrieving data from the database system will be obviated."
- wyday 18y agoRight, but my point is they did patent trim() - namely the automatic usage of trim().
- showerst 18y agoThe vast majority of patents are just novel applications of existing ideas to a specific domain. Apple didn't patent the LCD screen, or the touch screen, or even multi-touch. They (presumably) did, however, patent a multi-touch lcd screen used for controlling a cell phone. (This may be a bad example since i don't know what they patented, but you get the idea). Assuming there's no prior art (which is a big assumption), No-one has implemented an auto-trimming database column before, therefore it's a new process. Personally I think the patent is ridiculous (there are big problems with the definition of 'novel' with respect to software), but there's a specific reasoning that leads to this.
- KrisJordan 18y agoThe patent is for a database column setting which will 'auto-trim' all data. So instead of having to call the trim function every time you insert or update your database this patented setting does it automatically. Hard to believe these things get patents.
- russell 18y agoLest you think this was some triviality that got patented, note that it took 3 of them to invent it. I doubt that any of us could have managed it without the resources of a giant corporation like IBM behind us.
- gaius 18y agoI for one welcome our blue-suited patent-wielding overlords.
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- smoody 18y agoin my humble opinion, you should be happy IBM patented it because clearly they're not patent trolls and it prevents/prevented patent trolls from patenting the same idea. in big companies, patents are sort-of like trading cards. they're are used defensively. so, if oracle or someone else came after ibm for a database-related patent, IBM could make a patent trade to prevent expensive action from being taken. it's the corporate equivalent of a superpowers' arms race. they're designed to be a deterrent and aren't (often) acquired for first strike purposes.
- tyler 18y agoThat seems like a dangerous and foolish proposition to me. Just because IBM doesn't seem like a patent troll today, doesn't mean they won't tomorrow. Not to mention, just like a real arms race... It's not the government officials who are really in danger, it's all of the common people, or in this case, programmers.
- vaksel 18y agoif IBM has to resort to being a patent troll we ALL will have other things to worry about
- irrelative 18y agoI completely agree (even up-modded you!), but if you corner a rat, watch out.
- gravitycop 18y agoPatents only last 20 years, and besides that every resource is in theory substitutable anyway, so I wouldn't worry about it.
- asnyder 18y agoHow would you replace trim? According to the text of the patent any method that removes leading or trailing space would fall under protection of this patent. The only way would be to manually remove spaces character by character every time you ran your query. I definitely don't like the sound of that.
- jpwagner 18y agoanachronism: starting any patent with "a computer implemented method..."
- jwilliams 18y agoThe legitimacy of this patent aside - how does IBM think it will benefit from the protection this patent gives? Just seems like patent cruft than patent misuse.
- jeeringmole 18y ago"Help the USPTO find the information relevant to assessing the claims of pending patent applications. Become a community reviewer and improve the quality of patents." http://www.peertopatent.org/ http://www.peertopatent.org/
- kwamenum86 18y agoYou hate software patents because some companies abuse them? Do you also hate pain killers because some drug addicts abuse them?
- seiji 18y ago"IBM does X" is pleasing to look at, but remember one person decided to make it happen. One person said "hey, I want to patent this idea" and everybody else got in line to help make it happen. IBM has a patent culture. It encourages each employee to file as many patents as possible. When you submit a patent internally, you get a one-time bonus. When it goes from the internal lawyers to the patent office, you get another bonus. When your patent is awarded months or years later, you get another one-time bonus. If you file a certain number of patents, you get a certificate/plaque and more money. (true story) On the internal IBM blogs, I saw someone was frustrated by their email software. Their immediate response? File a patent for how they want it fixed. Their problem? They hit "send" by mistake before the email was complete. Their patent? A yes/no confirmation popup after hitting send. Another way to look at the "IBM has more patents than god" issue is from a per-employee financial standpoint. Their employees may need extra cash, so they are filing patents as fast as possible.
- bayareaguy 18y agoI've never understood why patents include so much stuff without practical relationship to the idea in question. In this case the patent covers a computer implemented method of automatically removing space characters from data being entered into a database and yet the detailed description includes pages of gibberish like this: With reference now to FIG. 3, a block diagram illustrating a data processing system is depicted in which the present invention may be implemented. Data processing system 300 is an example of a client computer. Data processing system 300 employs a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) local bus architecture. Although the depicted example employs a PCI bus, other bus architectures such as Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) and Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) may be used. Processor 302 and main memory 304 are connected to PCI local bus 306 through PCI bridge 308. PCI bridge 308 also may include an integrated memory controller and cache memory for processor 302. Additional connections to PCI local bus 306 may be made through direct component interconnection or through add-in boards. In the depicted example, local area network (LAN) adapter 310, Small computer system interface (SCSI) host bus adapter 312, and expansion bus interface 314 are connected to PCI local bus 306 by direct component connection. In contrast, audio adapter 316, graphics adapter 318, and audio/video adapter 319 are connected to PCI local bus 306 by add-in boards inserted into expansion slots. Expansion bus interface 314 provides a connection for a keyboard and mouse adapter 320, modem 322, and additional memory 324. SCSI host bus adapter 312 provides a connection for hard disk drive 326, tape drive 328, and CD-ROM drive 330. Typical PCI local bus implementations will support three or four PCI expansion slots or add-in connectors. What does any of that have to do with removing whitespace from text strings before they are stored?
- noonespecial 18y agoThe "legalease" is a kind of programming language. Its not human readable. All that garbage is inherited from a parent class. Patent->technology->computers->text.lets_patent_chomp_and_see_what_happens.