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If it seems unclear where the boundary line for patentability should lie, then it seems reasonable to apply caution and only allow patenting of that which neces
by Joeri 13y ago
If it seems unclear where the boundary line for patentability should lie, then it seems reasonable to apply caution and only allow patenting of that which necessitates it to ensure invention occurs at all. From what i can tell, that would eliminate 95% of patents. There is an argument to be made that patents harm innovation in nearly all industries, not just the software industry.
- thaumasiotes 13y agoFor things like business methods patents, the idea isn't that we need to get innovation to occur when it wouldn't otherwise. The idea is that we want to get it published when it otherwise wouldn't be, so that the knowledge isn't lost after the people who knew it die. It baffles me why we have a patent system (to address precisely this problem) and also legal protections for "trade secrets".