[pmwiki-users] general browser rant

[Chris Cox]

Joachim Durchholz wrote:
...snip...
> It's an excellent example of why software patents in their 
> current form are evil,

The patent system was developed to allow the "little guy"
the ability to bring an idea into production.

It was NOT intended for the "big guys".  That's the abuse
today.

The big corporations are better able to take an idea
to production faster than someone without the means.
So a patent is used to give the little guy the time
to implement/partner/sell the patented idea without
the big guys steam rolling them.

One idea for patent overhaul would be to reduce
a patent's usefulness based on the revenue
of the holder of the patent.  Thus a patent to
IBM is worthless unless they pick up/fund
outsiders (with no strings attached of course).
Thus the original purpose of the patent is upheld..
to allow the little guy a chance to compete.

IBM (big guy) would have to build their patent
arsenal by paying the little guys.  Again, this
is an acceptable solution, the little guys
don't have to sell their patent to IBM if they
don't want to.

Patents are supposed to have time limits.  The idea
is that it is a tool to ALLOW the little guy to
bring the idea into production.  You can't merely
"sit" on a patent and wait for an opportunity
to sue.  Another idea is to invalidate patents
that are simply being "sat" upon.

Of course, the system also needs a bit of subjective
overhaul.  Like a legal judgment, a patent should
have some subjective evaluation (e.g. don't patent
things that are easily thought of).  But anything
subjective will become fuel for litigation (sad).

(this thread could go on for days... maybe this
should go into a different forum??)