Posted on 12/18/2006 11:56:58 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
It is interesting to note that IBM files most patents with such a minimal information disclosure statement that it makes you wonder if they did any prior art searching at all. One of the patents against Amazon, for example, had only four patents cited as potential prior art. Not one academic paper was mentioned.
Yes, in at least one of the four patents in question, an inventor had authored and submitted an academic paper that was published in a journal. Do you think this was disclosed to the USPTO.... I think not.
The whole thing makes me laugh considering all the postering they are doing on how to clean up the patent system. Yeah... go figure.
IBM is suffering through a severely confused period where they're not sure if they should charge for all that intellectual property they hoarded for years, or give it all to everyone including China for free in the hopes of buying some new friends. In the meantime, HP is apparently about to pass them by as the world's largest computer company, having many problems of their own but little to none about giving free intellectual property away.
Did you see the IBM sponsored report about developing a new model for IP? In the integrity section they focused on patent trolls. They could have at least mentioned there are real inventors who are just researchers by nature (no inclination nor desire for business) and rely on IP-only companies to put together meaningful licensing programs.
Not surprised their report was short sighted and incomplete, based on their own internally conflicting uncertainties they are the last company that should be attempting to outline a new IP model for everyone.
Patent system is not just a "mess" it's a JOKE.
Basically just take an OBVIOUS idea and dress it up in technobabble and or legalese that it doesnt look quite as obvious as it really is to some razzledazzled braindead schmuck in the Patent office and you get to extort money from anyone else who had the same OBVIOUS idea but got to the patent office a minute later...or better yet to extort CROSS-LICENSING rights instead.
ABOLISH all patents and you'd see human progress SKYROCKET overnight.
Umm... No. Software patents were a Very Bad Idea to begin with, IMO. Existing copyright law would have sufficed.
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