NASA To Auction Automated Code Generation Patents 134
coondoggie writes "NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center said it is set to auction an exclusive license to five patents it holds for automated software development on November 11, 2010. NASA said the technology was originally developed to handle coding of control code for spacecraft swarms, but it is applicable to any commercial application where rule-based systems development is used."
Re:i'm sorry... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:i'm sorry... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Sickening (Score:5, Interesting)
NASA hurts it's own reputation horribly by auctioning software patents rather than holding them for the public trust and acknowledging the obvious: software patents are incompatible with a software industry.
Agreed. Moreover (but completely the opposite of you), I fully expect NASA to receive substantially less than what these assets are worth. Government auctions have the habit of turning into fire sales on public investment.
And they are only expecting $250,000 for it (Score:4, Interesting)
And they are only expecting $250,000 for it??? I wonder how much the purchasing company will make from it? I'm betting a hell of a lot more. Why don't they just license it out, and have a continuous income from it?
Re:i'm sorry... (Score:4, Interesting)
a) The top 5% should pay 95% of the federal tax burden, and
b) said top 5% should also have 95% of the voting power in federal elections.
Anything else would hardly be fair. After all, if a person has to shoulder a disproportionate share of the upkeep costs of the country he should be entitled to an equally disproportionate share of the political franchise.