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Apple Declares DRM War On Sneaker Hackers
theodp writes "Nicholas Carr is not pleased that Apple has applied for a patent to extend DRM to tennis shoes and other articles of clothing. Apple apparently views tennis-shoe DRM as a way to head off a potential plague of sneaker hacking. 'Some people,' the patent application observes, 'have taken it upon themselves to remove the sensor from the special pocket of the [iPod-linked] Nike+ shoe and place it at inappropriate locations (shoelaces, for example) or place it on non-Nike+ model shoes.'"
Except for the fact that the patent system was created when technology wasn't moving anywhere near as fast and has expanded to cover even dumb things like computer programs and even ideas that you never intend to build (patent whoring).
I personally think that the time for a patent monopoly should be dependent on the type of patent and definitely not 14 years for rapidly advancing industries.
Patents were useful when they were invented but have not really evolved with the changing landscape of technology and seem to be really holding back innovation by everyone but the zillion dollar companies who can afford to fend off the lawsuits if they come about.
I drink to make other people interesting!
You know there is a word for that. It's called racism. I guess I am lucky that while I have met some people like that, most of the people I don't care, don't know, or both.