Slashdot Mirror
A Look at the US Patent System
cheesedog writes "The LA Times published an interesting editorial on the current state of our patent system. From the article: 'on many levels, the U.S. patent system is profoundly flawed. Too many patents are issued for 'innovations' that are obvious, vague or already in wide use.' Online reaction has been mixed, with PatentHawk striking out in defense of the patent system, and Right to Create providing some support for the LA Times editorial."
To the poster:
I have previously patented the right to complain about patents, specifically U.S. patents: I should further inform you that I have already actively started placing patents in other countries as well, regarding this issue.
As you did not pay me to post this message, I do request that you either pull this post or pay me 60% of all profit. If you are not making profit from this post: I will allow you to continue this post, provided you seek monetary compensation and that I get 60% of it, otherwise it must be removed immediately or face legal action.
You have 100 comments in order to respond,
Thank you.
Just wait until Frank Smith starts suing the daylights out of people with combovers. Maybe he could create a website and pay people to report violators, giving them a cut of any money gained by suing balding people? At the very least it would make people quit trying to hide their baldness with a combover, which would be a good thing.
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
Compare what the article proposes to what it complains about.
The article proposes the following change: if a patent is valid and infringed, there will be no injunction unless the patentholder is using/selling the invention.
But, that change would do nothing to fix the things the article complains about: Too many patents are issued for "innovations" that are obvious, vague or already in wide use. Too many patent holders try to extend their claims to devices and services that weren't even contemplated when the patents were granted. And it's a difficult, costly exercise to overturn a questionable patent after it has been awarded.
So "you have to ask yourself: What does this have to do with this case? Nothing. . . . No! Ladies and gentlemen of this supposed jury, it does NOT MAKE SENSE! If Chewbacca lives on Endor, you must acquit!"
"We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals." --The American President (20.1.2009)
From the patent:
The uppermost section can be styled to the person's personal teste.
I sure hope that is a typo.