> If it becomes hard to obtain, patents would be inaccessible to small
> companies and individuals, helping big corporations for whom money is
> not an issue.

IMHO the current practice hinders small companies more than it helps them.

The current trend is that you can file at least an initial application 
for ~ 1k. The downside is that anyone can do this, and it is accepted 
nearly without any checks. I think a level of ~ 10 k or a bit more would 
not make it unaccessible to small companies, but would allow a decent 
newness and inventiveness level research.

> And being easy to defeat would diminish the research efforts.

What I mean is that when for instance a prior art can clearly be shown 
it should be impossible (for a big company) to sue a accused infringer 
to (financial) death.

-- 

Wouter van Ooijen

-- -------------------------------------------
Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: www.voti.nl
consultancy, development, PICmicro products
docent Hogeschool van Utrecht: www.voti.nl/hvu

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