Patents, long the tech world's currency, come under attack

RedHerring Magazine ^ | April 19, 2002 | Julie Landry

[bvw]

Patents have come to be used as devices to block innovation for the purposes of extortion from real innovators. Are people with money and moxie coming around to see this, or does Ayn Rand's schoolgirl crush still dominate in that group?

[bvw]

FYI

[johniegrad]

Here's one for you.

[Diogenesis]

Patents (IP) also have the advantage of focusing resources,
and people towards new technology.

As of today, 4/21/02 the Patent Office now under Pres.Bush
for the SECOND year, continues to fight cold fusion and other energy researchers
and hold up cold fusion patents.

THIS IS WRONG.

Please help. Like the CONGRESS,
the patent officials do not care that we are at war.

Please FREEP the WH, Congress, and the Patent Office, about this.

Energy is KEY to US security.

[VOA]

The PTO has been criticized for allowing a thicket of patents to grow in recent years.

Of course, patents have nothing to do with the USA's leadership in high technology, biotechnology
and medical technology.

Or do they? (just a friendly rhetorical question)

(I'm not saying the patent system shouldn't be modified...but maybe some
REALLY judicious thought is needed before altering it.
Oh, and I am NOT a lawyer...work in plant molecular biology.)

[Rule of Law]

As of today, 4/21/02 the Patent Office now under Pres.Bush for the SECOND year, continues to fight cold fusion and other energy researchers and hold up cold fusion patents.

They also hold up patents on perpetual motion machines.

Physists say that cold fusion doesn't work. So far, no one has managed to duplicate cold fusion. Until it actually works, I don't think that the PTO will issue a patent for cold fusion.

[Rule of Law]

I love it. The PTO is not taxpayer funded. It is funded by the fees from people filing for patents. It always has a surplus. The FTC and Justice Department decide to hold a meeting to discuss what should happen to the PTO (and all that money). Surprise! The conference suggests moving the PTO to the FTC and Justice Department. Obvious solution to the problem.

[gg188]

Is it the wascalwy oil companies who own Dick Cheney and George Bush who are behind this!? Damn capitalist pigs! I hope you were out there protesting with everyone this weekend! We could all be driving solar powered rollerblades and gotten rid of the bane to mankind---the internal combustion engine---if we'd only listened to the Unabomber (substitute Algore) and elected Algore (substitute Unabomber). Actually we DID elect Algore, but the Supremes stole the election....wait a minute...after I read your post, I thought I was at DU. You mean I'm not...?

[gg188]

Well, it WOULD work if it weren't for a conspiracy by oil companies, Dick Cheney, and Mr. Goodwrench. They must be using some kind of satellite that sends out cosmic rays that heat up the molecules so they aren't COLD enough for cold fusion. NO---wait a minute. I'VE got it! GLOBAL WARMING----if it wasn't for GLOBAL WARMING, there could be COLD FUSION. But the GLOBE is too WARM for COLD fusion, because the globe is heating up due to the combustion of fossil fuels burned by the nasty mean old money grubbing oil companies!!! I get it now!! THAT'S why cold fusion isn't working! GLOBAL WARMING! This will make a great movie on the LIFETIME CHANNEL FOR WOMEN!!! The EEEEvel capitalist pigs, heating up the environment JUST to prevent cold fusion so that it won't work so they can keep selling gasoline for fat middleaged SOB's to drive SUV's! Damn, life is so unfair! Meanwhile, YUGO went out of business in America!

[Diogenesis]

Cold fusion works and is not perpetual motion.

The Navy report released this month confirms cold fusion.

Most of those attacking cold fusion have other reasons.

If you are serious, and most pathologic critics are not,
the NAVY reports is here

[Soul Citizen]

Small labs and individuals are disadvantaged in comparison to big corporate/university research dollars.

[Soul Citizen]

I recall reading a couple of articles, possibly here on FR in the last couple of months in which it was reported that several experiments had been sucessfully replicated for cold fusion methodologies.

[Diogenesis]

Several types of methodologies.

I am searching for the URL for the recent meeting which happened last week.

[JAWs]

So you want to scrap the system enteirely? Not a good idea, IMO.

[bvw]

Given that it seems to have risen from mere incoptenence to become a pit of bribery and extortion run as a beltway franchise, yes -- at least put a moratorium on patents for seven years.

[bvw]

It'd be wiser to pursue true innovation relying on trade secrets rather than patents, for the corrupting influence patents have. If you really want focue on technology and genuine invention avoid patents.

[bvw]

sorry I am an incomptent speller for reasons of haste.

[bvw]

still chained to hasty fingers -- "incompetent"

[steve-b]

The PTO is not taxpayer funded. It is funded by the fees from people filing for patents. It always has a surplus.

And the surplus gets siphoned into the black hole that is the general budget.

[Rule of Law]

Well, it WOULD work if it weren't for a conspiracy by oil companies, Dick Cheney, and Mr. Goodwrench.

Would that be the vast right-wing conspiracy we've heard so much about?