Software: only for big companies

An interesting interview with Bruce Perens over at the BBC. He's up discussing the role of HP, IBM, et al and the move towards Linux. However, his main point is about software patents and how they are much more of a problem than SCO: "We're looking at a future where only the very largest companies will be able to implement software, and it will technically be illegal for other people to do so." [Slashdot]

Unfortunately, there is a lot of truth in that. Unless the law changes such that, for instance, software patents last only 3 years.