Hadn't considered the pharmaceutical approach, but the problem with patents is that most patent owners would like to make it to the top 10 of fobres list using that patent. This makes anything that relies on the patent ridiculously expensive. Most patents now seem to cover concept rather than algorithms, like the Apple one that has got other manufacturers scared. As for open source, when a community breaks a restrictive patent, the owner is unable to sue while the rest tend to use the technology (jail broken iPhone). I still agree with you that most open source enthusiasthics (not coders) tend to be haters. I was in a Linux meeting where the key speaker bashed windows and went ahead to give a few outdated and other completely wrong facts about linux. BTW, Apple is still evil, how do you sell a car(iPhone) and then dictate where (telco) and how it will be fuelled(tariff) and where it will be driven? -- with Regards: Get your free technology e-magazine in pdf format: Tekniaonline: http://bit.ly/tekniaonline-2 Sterotyping: Abednego, tell the tribe by the name; visit the blog : http://gramware.blogspot.com