[Spambayes] RE: AT & T Patent on tricking Anti-Spam-Tools

[Coe, Bob]

> From: Christoph Becker-Freyseng [mailto:webmaster at beyond-thoughts.com]
> Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 8:59 AM
> To: spambayes at python.org
> Subject: [Spambayes] AT & T Patent on tricking Anti-Spam-Tools
> 
> 
> AT & T got a patent (6.643.686) on tricking Anti-Spam-Tools.
> I'm not sure if it's good or bad ...

Arguably, all software patents are bad. But that said, it's hard to see the practical effect of this one as anything but good. If ATT doesn't enforce it, we're no worse off than we are now. If they do enforce it, it stands to increase spammers' legal exposure and/or their cost of doing business. Or, if they have to stop using the patented algorithm, maybe it will decrease the effectiveness of their activity.

Bob