4 ms·

Even if the 'invalidating bad patents' idea sounds promising, I still think that in order to stop 'stupid patents', as described in their front page, the smarte

by danirod 10y ago

Even if the 'invalidating bad patents' idea sounds promising, I still think that in order to stop 'stupid patents', as described in their front page, the smartest move would be to fix this broken patents system so that no more stupid patents could be registered.

luisivan 10y ago
If we lived in a world where the government moves at a decent pace, that'd be an option. As we do not, you can either complain for decades or try to do something that actually fixes the bug.
- hagubman 10y ago
  ^ This, a thousand times ^
izqui 10y ago
I completely agree with you, but there is way too much lobbying power protecting the status quo in the patent arena. Not even a letter to Congress signed by very important SV players did anything... [1] At Unpatent we believe that big changes can be made using technology when legislation is clearly falling behind. [1]: http://www.unitedforpatentreform.com http://www.unitedforpatentreform.com
- acomjean 10y ago
  Part of the problem (among many) is the patent office is funded by fees. So they naturally favor "approving" patents, because applications are their revenue source. Plus it cost businesses to invalidate a patent, but the patent office doesn't bear the cost of bad pattents. https://www.uspto.gov/blog/director/entry/an_update_on_sustainable_funding https://www.uspto.gov/blog/director/entry/an_update_on_susta...
tomtomtom777 10y ago
I agree. Donating here feels like funding the 'stupid patent' system.
- luisivan 10y ago
  Not donating feels like funding the patent trolls who are extracting $29 billion dollars a year from the American economy. You can choose to complain, or you can actually do something about the businesses that are being extorted and the billions of dollars wasted on trolls.
infodroid 10y ago
Nobody knows how long it will take and what it will take to fix the broken patent system. Meanwhile, real businesses are getting extorted. The cost of unpatenting seems a lot lower than the gross extortion amount. And long-term it just might work as deterrent against patent trolls. Without politicians getting involved.
bborud 10y ago
I think everyone agrees with you on that. However, I think most people (here) also understand that doing that will take some political heavy lifting. Something on the order of the affordable healthcare act. If you figure out a way to fix the patent system so no more stupid patents can be registered I'd be all ears :-)

by danirod 10y ago

luisivan 10y ago

If we lived in a world where the government moves at a decent pace, that'd be an option. As we do not, you can either complain for decades or try to do something that actually fixes the bug.

hagubman 10y ago
^ This, a thousand times ^

izqui 10y ago

I completely agree with you, but there is way too much lobbying power protecting the status quo in the patent arena. Not even a letter to Congress signed by very important SV players did anything... [1] At Unpatent we believe that big changes can be made using technology when legislation is clearly falling behind. [1]: http://www.unitedforpatentreform.com http://www.unitedforpatentreform.com

acomjean 10y ago
Part of the problem (among many) is the patent office is funded by fees. So they naturally favor "approving" patents, because applications are their revenue source. Plus it cost businesses to invalidate a patent, but the patent office doesn't bear the cost of bad pattents. https://www.uspto.gov/blog/director/entry/an_update_on_sustainable_funding https://www.uspto.gov/blog/director/entry/an_update_on_susta...

tomtomtom777 10y ago

I agree. Donating here feels like funding the 'stupid patent' system.

luisivan 10y ago
Not donating feels like funding the patent trolls who are extracting $29 billion dollars a year from the American economy. You can choose to complain, or you can actually do something about the businesses that are being extorted and the billions of dollars wasted on trolls.

infodroid 10y ago

Nobody knows how long it will take and what it will take to fix the broken patent system. Meanwhile, real businesses are getting extorted. The cost of unpatenting seems a lot lower than the gross extortion amount. And long-term it just might work as deterrent against patent trolls. Without politicians getting involved.

bborud 10y ago

I think everyone agrees with you on that. However, I think most people (here) also understand that doing that will take some political heavy lifting. Something on the order of the affordable healthcare act. If you figure out a way to fix the patent system so no more stupid patents can be registered I'd be all ears :-)