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Ben Klemens

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Ben Klemens
Born (1975-04-10) April 10, 1975 (age 49)
Occupation(s)Economist, writer, emoji designer
Known forSoftware patents
Falafel emoji
Websiteben.klemens.org

Ben Klemens (born April 10, 1975[citation needed]) is an Australian economist, author, and co-host of the podcast 'Pod, Paper, Scissors'.[1] He works for the US Treasury Department[2] and was previously a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center on Social and Economic Dynamics.[3] He holds a PhD in Social Sciences from Caltech.[4]

Klemens is the author of the proposal to the Unicode consortium for the Falafel emoji,[5] which will be appearing across web platforms in 2019.[6][7]

Statistical computing

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In the realm of statistical computing, Klemens has done extensive work on statistical analysis for large data sets and non-traditional models such as agent-based models. He developed an innovative library of statistics functions for C, named Apophenia,[8] and has written a textbook on statistical computing, Modeling with Data.[9]

Software patent policy

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Klemens has also worked on the policy aspects of computing, and in particular the issue of software patents. He has argued in a book entitled Math You Can't Use (ISBN 0815749422) and a law review article[10] that intangibles such as computer code and mathematics should not be patentable subject matter.[11]

Klemens was previously the executive director of End Software Patents, an advocacy group that has lobbied to eliminating software patents and has organized around the Bilski v. Kappos case that was decided by the Supreme Court in 2010.[12][13] He is a featured expert in the documentary Patent Absurdity: How Software Patents Broke the System (2010).[14] His writings on the subject have appeared in the op-ed sections of The Wall Street Journal,[15] Ars Technica,[16][17] and The Washington Post.[18] He has occasionally commented on broader issues of technology policy and patent law.[19]

References

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  1. ^ Pod, Paper, Scissors https://podpaperscissors.com/. Retrieved July 29, 2020. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ Klemens, Ryan Nunn, Laura Kawano, and Ben (February 22, 2018). "Unemployment insurance and worker mobility". Brookings. Retrieved February 8, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "Ben Klemens". Brookings.edu. Brookings Institution. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  4. ^ policies, CEP council on economic. "Contributor - Council on Economic Policies". Council on Economic Policies. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  5. ^ Spiro, Amy (February 6, 2019). "Falafel emoji on its way to your phone - OMG - Jerusalem Post". www.jpost.com. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  6. ^ Klemens, Ben (April 4, 2018). "Proposal to Add Emoji Symbol for Falafel to Unicode" (PDF). Unicode.org. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  7. ^ Judkins, Maura (February 7, 2019). "Why does the new falafel emoji look like potatoes?". Washington Post. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  8. ^ "Apophenia". Free Software Directory. Free Software Foundation. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  9. ^ Klemens, Ben (February 17, 2008). "U.S. expanding the law – domestic and foreign – to benefit corporations". SFGate.com. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  10. ^ Klemens, Ben (2008). "The Rise of the Information Processing Patent" (PDF). Journal of Science & Technology Law. 14 (1). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 20, 2009. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  11. ^ Klemens, Ben (January 14, 2006). "Math You Can't Use, Ch. 6". Groklaw. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  12. ^ "Ben Klemens on software patents". End Soft Patents. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  13. ^ "Bilski v. Kappos (2010, USA)". End Soft Patents. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  14. ^ "Patent Absurdity: How Software Patents Broke the System". PatentAbsurdity.com. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  15. ^ Klemens, Ben (March 25, 2006). "The Gravity of the U.S. Patent Swindle". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  16. ^ Klemens, Ben (January 10, 2019). "Software patents poised to make a comeback under new patent office rules". Ars Technica. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  17. ^ Tashea, Jason. "Are software patents about to make a comeback? Revised guidance may do just that". ABA Journal. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  18. ^ Klemens, Ben (August 25, 2006). "U.S. Patent Imperialism Hurts American Interests". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  19. ^ Palmer, Helen (July 3, 2007). "$1 million to rat out your company!". Marketplace. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
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