Patents are a trade. The holder of the IP opens it up for public scrutiny and in return for exclusive control. Otherwise, companies would (and often do) keep the IP a trade secret.
-brian
Andrew Kohlsmith wrote:
Just remember that you were given those patents as incentive to invent so
that ultimately your work would go into the public domain so we can all
enjoy it. We are buying your work with our tax dollars by protecting it
for a short period of time so you have a little monetary incentive.
BZZZT! Wrong.
He was given those patents as in incentive to invent something that he could SELL without everyone on the planet copying his hard work and competing on his idea. Patents put the process out in the public so that it's easy to see when someone's infringing.
17 years for software patents is FAR too long, IMO, but that's an entirely different story. IMO software patents shoudln't be for more than ~24 months since the industry moves so blazingly fast.
Regards,
Andrew
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