Anyone who thinks that the patent issues on algorithms only affects
the US should take a look at what the WIPO is doing and how it will
affect them.
It's a kind of "US gov's hope" or "American way", involved Wired
opinion. Even if "US gov's hope" is railroaded the motion through the
WIPO committee, US gov needs many years for political
negotiation. It's takes 2 or 3 years at least.
In real, more complex process will be required in WIPO. Because the
patent is a kind of tools for economy war between each well-developed
countries. Perhaps, it is very difficult to apply the patant which was
already issued.
Anyway, my opinion is very simple.
Should we abandon RSA algo from OpenPGP for only 26 months, until
2000-Sep-19, patent exipre day of RSA in US???? I don't think so.
--hironobu