Shades of the Seldon Patent

[A. Padgett Peterson <padgett@tccslr.dnet.mmc.com>]

re: Digital Signature Scandal (vol 13 issue 438)

Well it sure sounds to me like the "fix is in". For those who do not
realize it, the DSS is an integral part of the CAPSTONE chip and may
be a necessary component of the "auto-ignition" feature in CLIPPER.

This means that every commercial user of Clipper/Capstone (IMHO the
real target audience) will be required to pay tribute to PKP in
exchange for permission to use a government-developed technology.

It is interesting that the government is exempted from paying the
"royalty" but you can bet that if Americans want to communicate with
the gov, they will pay and pay and pay (that $1.00 per certificate per
year following the first three years is the real moneymaker IMHO --
read as per business TELEPHONE per year). The three year wait makes
sure that the technology becomes entrenched.

The list of "requiring" services could be impressive: electronic IRS
filing, Social Security inquiries, FHA/VA inquiries, Medicare/Medicaid
filings, etc, etc. Gore's "Information Superhighway" would be a toll
road.

For some time I have wondered about the wisdom of granting patents to
mathmatical algorithms and software.


Bemusidly,

Padgett