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I think we are about to witness a Software Patent World War unfold in MAD-style (mutually assured destruction). The software patent laws have trapped everyone
by wavephorm 14y ago
I think we are about to witness a Software Patent World War unfold in MAD-style (mutually assured destruction). The software patent laws have trapped everyone into corners from which it is no longer possible to innovate without trampling on someone else's intellectual property. The absurdity of our litigious bureaucracy is going to de-evolve into madness that will make patent lawyers every where squeal with joy and the make the lives of technology workers everywhere suck.
- rbanffy 14y agoThe analogy fails because, in MAD, the unthinkable scenario happens quickly and there is no turning back once the process starts - effectively preventing it from starting - while in the lawsuit-standoff-from-hell it is a very long and expensive process with plenty of opportunities to abort and negotiate a deal.
- wavephorm 14y agoThis is from 2010, and the landscape has become quite a bit worse since then: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/oct/04/microsoft-motorola-android-patent-lawsuit http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/oct/04/microsoft-m...
- rbanffy 14y agoStill, the MAD doctrine won't prevent this war. The damage is spread across periods too long to effectively prevent lawsuits. Or innovation. It will just raise entry barriers and prevent small players from entering the market (or impose additional costs when they become large enough).