Steven Schveighoffer wrote: > All > software patents do is create a barrier to innovation, and act as > weapons against other patent-holding firms.
Patents as a way to protect inventions that cannot be kept a trade secret, and that's all (i.e., that which clearly can be kept trade secret, should not be patentable under this system), may be a better patent system. Such a system would: 1. Allow ongoing development and innovation by the inventor. An idea/concept in the hands of its creator is much more useful, in regards to innovation, than in the hands of copycats who only serve to decrease the inventor's earning potential. 2. Prevent development of technologies that are inadvertently based upon patented work. The much lower number of patents to search through to effect this would be much more amenable to such. 3. Allow many more independently-developed inventions to coexist, for they would be trade secrets rather than stifled by patents. A true boon for the consumer of the inventions. Of course, the above system is onnly necessary because one cannot rely on people to have high standards of values such as honesty and integrity (especially "the entitled set"). Bitten once, twice shy. If it becomes quite common dialog, then it may be worth some risk to throw something out there with an explanation of what the hopes are, and then see what happens.