> One developer refusing to file for patents on their work is not going to make any difference and will only put them at a competitive disadvantage. Every deve

> One developer refusing to file for patents on their work is not going to make any difference and will only put them at a competitive disadvantage. Every developer says this individually, and they're right. But if we all were more diligent about shooting down spurious software patents as a matter of professional pride, it would be a better world. That is to say, if it was considered part of professional ethics to help vet patents for obviousness and prior art for software. And if the thesis, "The patent system is broken" is true, then we're all already at a competitive disadvantage. The pursuits are not mutually exclusive the way you make them sound. Personally, I am tired of everyone saying, "This is the way ____ is done." What you feel there is the status quo, and it is demonstrably not a good thing right now. Do you think these UK banks adjusting Libor have a similar speech about competitive advantage? If we only define "success" but facile metrics like quarterly revenue, then we're going to dig ourselves a hole we will never emerge from, all while piously protesting our invisible hands are tied.