IBM Adopts Open Patent Policy

Andy Updegrove writes to mention a New York Times article about IBM's bold new move to reform patent practices. The nation's largest patent holder will adopt several new policies intended to clear up the veil of secrecy and wall of lawsuits that plague the patent process. From the article: "The policy, being announced today, includes standards like clearly identifying the corporate ownership of patents, to avoid filings that cloak authorship under the name of an individual or dummy company. It also asserts that so-called business methods alone -- broad descriptions of ideas, without technical specifics -- should not be patentable. The move by I.B.M. does carry business risks. Patents typically take three or four years after filing to be approved by the patent office. Companies often try to keep patent applications private for as long as possible, to try to hide their technical intentions from rivals."

Comments

Seriously?

[diersing]

As the largest consumer of McDonald's food I'm announcing today how I'm going to change the menu and pricing standards. Film at 11

Re:Patent Ostracism

[adpsimpson]

I've just instructed my lawyers to send you the suit. You are clearly infringing on my patent:

'A method of controlling patent applications, on the Internet, in an organised manner.'

Wrong section

[Anonymous Coward]

This is YRO, the Apple section is just down the hallway.

HTH

Re:Patent Ostracism

[Amouth]

want a cookie?

The way some of you "paint a picture" with words..

[StressGuy]

Let me see, the options are FPMITA prison or "Lemon Cookie" let us ponder that for a bit.

{Jepordy music plays in background}

I bet most of these guys are thinking they probably don't even have cookies in prison and their worn-out asses would probably look big in an adult diaper. So I'm thinkin' they'll take the lemon cookie.

I mean, that what *I* would do.