While I think the gun analogy was a little superfluous - perhaps because we clearly look at the gun situation differently - I completely agree with you otherwis

While I think the gun analogy was a little superfluous - perhaps because we clearly look at the gun situation differently - I completely agree with you otherwise. Software patents, even if "unused", are a threat lingering above your head like a guillotine. Even if the person in charge of that guillotine promises you they'll never let it drop, you'll probably not put your head under there for fear of what could happen. Sun guarded the guillotine. Oracle "bought them out", and now they have the guillotine. Google put its head under the guillotine. Now we get to see how sharp it is, and whether Google brought body armor.