tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098282854073744424.post9111002513923105276..comments2020-09-22T05:16:44.117-07:00Comments on Business & Technology Related Musings: Patentageddon/Apple/Intel/Etc.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09507325257507187171noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098282854073744424.post-24837587667996703822011-08-15T19:29:29.180-07:002011-08-15T19:29:29.180-07:00Scott, Thank you for the comment!
That is the ide...Scott, Thank you for the comment!<br /><br />That is the ideal and the original intent of patents. The reality seems to be much different today, particularly in the area of software patents. Companies spend a lot of time and money applying for patents primarily as a defensive measure to build their war chest of patents so they can defend themselves when their inevitable day in court comes. Most software patents are for things that are obvious and/or have been widely used for years if not decades. <br /><br />I'm not saying there isn't some software related concept out there that would be worthy of a patent but if there is I haven't heard of it.<br /><br />The look at least of Apple's iPhone is protected by another legal mechanism. I believe it's a variation of trademark that allows companies to claim ownership of the particular look and feel of their hardware but I'm drawing a blank right now.<br /><br />Maybe it's different on the hardware side of things. I'm not very knowledgeable about that. Even in that case though patents seem to be used primarily as a bludgeon by large companies and the occasional patent trolls.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09507325257507187171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098282854073744424.post-31932307049848515842011-08-15T18:43:24.621-07:002011-08-15T18:43:24.621-07:00Without patents it would be impossible for any of ...Without patents it would be impossible for any of us to strike it rich with an invention. Big companies could just watch people and steal their stuff as soon as it's done. There would be no way to compete with them. Patents are also extremely important to these companies because they "define" who they are. If anyone could make an iPhone it wouldn't be an iPhone (I hate Apple btw).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03595006227234782887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8098282854073744424.post-3086737206357247862011-08-15T07:18:33.981-07:002011-08-15T07:18:33.981-07:00Google buying Motorola Mobility is an interesting ...Google buying Motorola Mobility is an interesting development and very apropos to what I was talking about in regards to the potential downsides of Apple focusing so much on litigation. The war has just escalated.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09507325257507187171noreply@blogger.com