I had an interesting discussion with a friend of mine over the past few days about the origins of patents & the constitutional rights of patenters to protect their Intellectual Property. This is especially interesting considering the furore in Europe over the software patents issue. Well in the good old US, the founding fathers enshrined in their constitution of 1789.
"The Congress shall have Power . . .
To promote the Progress of Science and the useful
Arts, by securing for limited
Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right
to their respective Writings and Discoveries . . .
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and
proper for carrying into Execution the Foregoing
Powers . . ."