Hey Ross,
I don't want to open up a lengthy OT debate here. But
will reply privately to address some of your points in detail.
I think there are at least three separate issues here:
1. Whether one believes that granting 20 year monopoly rights for an
invention should be acceptable in our society. In other words, whether
the
patent system should exist at all, or perhaps that its structrue should
be
altered.
Yes, the principle is sound enough. The current duration
is probably too long now given modern production methods
and markets.
2. Whether one believes that the standards applied in granting patents
are
sufficiently rigorous to protect truly novel inventions while rejecting
trivial, obvious and redundant inventions.
No they are clearly not. There has been a catastrophic decline
in standards and the present system is utterly broken.
You can apply the above two points to the patent system as a whole, or
narrow them to apply only to software patents or some other subset.
This is the only issue for me. Patents for tangible products
make sense. There is no case for software patents whatsoever. To even
entertain the idea is to completely debase the principles of patents
and shows massive ignorance of what patents are and of human values and
knowledge in general. It is the extention of patents to include
non-patentable things that is nothing short of a disater for humanity.
I don't know about patent reform as a whole, but I'd sure like those
pesky
patents on obvious things to go away. Does anyone know the most effective
way to lobby for reform in this area?
Yes. Whenever, wherever you see the topic of software patents discussed
you must speak up to denounce them and correct the misunderstandings of
those
who support them (often smart, well meaning but deceived people).
If your conscience extends to it then opposing genetic, chemical
business process and other inappropriate abstract patents won't hurt,
but it makes sense that those who are educated defend their respective
areas of intellectual expertise where they can argue reasonably and
forcefully.
Is there are group that focuses on
calling for re-examination of obvious patents that I could support?
I don't know of any on that specific task of challenging existing bad
patents. I think that task is overwhelming now.
If you look at the list on the right column of this page I think
you will realise we have no choice but to move for massive reform or
even abolition to remove whole swathes of the problem.
http://petition.eurolinux.org/
^ ^ ^
Internet and mobile payment systems patents!
Doesn't that harm every online business?
I'm going to Patent paper money printing...
: )
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