The End of Innovation

[vacuphile]

No mercy with Apple because they play Patent Stratego as well, but for small guys, this game is killing every incentive to innovate.

[cbdb]

What do we expect from a system that encourages lawsuits (nothing to lose, millions to gain)?

On the positive side of things, China will surpass the US as the world's largest economy in 2015/2016--they won't put up with patent trolls.

They dont really put up with patents either, which is even worse for innovation.

[digits]

So am I deluded if I think there was a period, not too far in the past where people shared designs in the spirit of helping others, and maybe gaining honour and recognition at a max?

[Conrad Hoffman]

Drifting a bit OT, some time ago they lengthened the copyright status, I think because Disney's characters were going to become public domain. IMO, they should have left it alone and let nature take its course. The more books and older information that can be made public on the 'net, the better.

As for the patent system, it seems to encourage high prices and limited availability (think drug companies) more than innovation. A product in the field is worth 1000 on paper, and it's surprisingly difficult to achieve that, so maybe carefully guarded processes and trade secrets are all that's really needed. Things also get sticky when you start to patent things like gene patterns and concepts generated by brute force computer methods.

[gpapag]

Recent developments in US patent law
(Leahy–Smith America Invents Act, effective from16 March 2013)

view online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/PT.3.1397



Regards
George