metamerist

Friday, July 29, 2011

Reptile

When Patents Attack!

When Patents Attack!

This American Life covers the software patent disaster, patent trolls and Nathan Myhrvold. I'm beginning to wonder if the U.S. is going to run out of industries to destroy, and I can 't help but wonder if the mainframe and mini manufactures of the 70s and 80s had been able to patent software, and do so as aggressively, if Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Larry Ellison would be names anyone recognizes today. They might be punching a clock at DEC. Are tomorrow's Gates and Jobs going to be cut off at the knees by patent trolls before they even have a chance? One rule to follow, if one is to avoid being a contemptible bastard, is leaving the place as clean as you found it.