> And then what? We'll have nothing at all? No... and then we'll have legislators who are willing to improve the system. > It's a balance between encouraging

> And then what? We'll have nothing at all? No... and then we'll have legislators who are willing to improve the system. > It's a balance between encouraging innovation by protecting intellectual property, and discouraging it because of patent abuse I think that depends on what part of the patent system you are considering. In the world of medical devices, for instance, it is a balance between encouraging innovation and discouraging it. In the world of software patents I honestly do not think that there is anyone who is innovating because of patents (there ARE some who are making money off innovations they would create anyway), so there I do not feel that there is a balance: software patents only discourage innovation.