Patent absurdity

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No, not really.

How expensive was it to come up with that idea?

You assume it was innovative perhaps because they were one of the first to start a business using precisely that concept and to make that known? For all you know there were 20 or 30 other groups working on that idea but their businesses (or company research projects) did not get off the ground before Overture became popular.

To me the "inventive step" is almost sad, in general, though in this case you aren't even talking about some new formula in Theory of General Relativity or anything like that (not that that specifically would be patentable.. gulp).

Patents on business methods?? is that what you are asking for?

And again, how much did it cost to come up with this micracle of creation "software" idea/business??


What is the argument for the patent? I don't think you are looking at benefits to society, nor to sustain the research markets. What you want is a monopoly for decades to reward someone's late night inspiration. Maybe you mean well.

News alert: we all have many such inspirations.
News alert: Collectively, large companies have many more late night inspirations. Not that they deserve patents or are unique or deserve even more than 2 months of monopoly status at best, but any such company could decimate an Overture using its vast software patents porfolio if they found an interest in doing so. I mean, Overture may have a patent sure, but to implement any reasonable system to compete in the market, they would violate many many more patents held, cross-licensed, by a few players.

Maybe Overture didn't sue because they knew they'd be dead in the water.

Patents may have started out to help the little guy, but that only worked for a few days before the big guy realized that it was a much more powerful weapon in its hands.

Patents only work when the average person/inventor can't invent because of expenses. But with a computer, and in particular with the Internet and FOSS, it is too easy for many to contribute with little personal cost.


Get over it. People work hard all the time and that is how they make money. Not from having Uncle Sam promise to use its vast gunpower for decades to protect your late night idea.

I think large companies have unfair advantages over the little guy. FOSS helps reduce that advantage. Patents hurt FOSS and empower the few very biggest dogs.

Posted by: netnerdo@...   Posted on: 06/21/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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