Walter wrote regarding 'Re: [OT]:  Domain names for evil patents' on Mon, Feb 13 at 13:05:
> The critics of the patent system have a point on many issues. The
> patent office needs to do due diligence on prior art (case in point
> all the software patents issued about 10 years ago - to be fair
> essentially all of them have not been enforceable). The patent
> office needs a better process of public review.

It's worth pointing out that, when I essentailly say "patents are
stupid", I mean that patents as presently implemented are stupid.  The
US PTO is really unsuitable for assessing a big chunk of what's
submitted, and the system's entirely too abused.  The system has valid
reasons, as Olin and Walter point out.  How many of the new patents,
say, last year were for the valid reason of protecting marketability
of an idea which was costly to develop, and how many of them were
filed just to keep everyone else out of the sandbox, or to eventually
sue someone who independently comes up with the same idea / uses a
technology presumed to be usable but not really (LZO compression,
anyone)?  Do the abuses/misuses of the system outweigh the benefits
yet?

I don't know how to fix it.  I just like to complain. :)

--Danny
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