Patent Madness: why does everything have to be patented?

[Elledan]

>> <a target=new href="http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=01/03/15/1930215
">Patent Madness at Slashdot</a>

Why does everyone have to patent everything these days? Nowadays it seems like even the most idiotic ideas are being patented, regardless of whether they are possible or that those ideas are so common that it will lead to problems for sure.

Is it just greed, or something else, more complicated? Also, which things would you rather not see patented?

 

[sharkeeper]

Greed works both ways.

This is why digital media is getting choked to death with anti piracy measures and copy protection.

Cheers!

 

[Bleep]

<< Greed works both ways >>


What the heck does this mean??
As to the patent and copyright issues, How would you like to spend 4 years writing a book or composing a opera or developing a new television series only to have someone tape it every week and then rebroadcast it over there own little tv station.
Somehow people have got the idea that just because you think it up it should be free to everyone. Somehow people that put time and effort into a project have to recover the money invested and are entitled (in USA at least) to make a profit from there efforts. If you dont like the price dont buy it. But some people would rather steal it.
Bleep

 

[Elledan]

Bleep: you would talk totally different if you saw some of those 'weird' patents. Like now M$ has suddenly a patent on web-based polls and Rambus... well, you know

That kind of things is meant with 'Patent Madness', not things that take years to develop by one person/company.

 

[Phil21]

Oh well. Bury head in sand, and believe everything the RIAA, MPAA, etc. say.

Do yourself a favor and READ The fricken DMCA and you'll easily see how it can be excersized to blatantly take away your rights. Your saying I don't have a right to be able to copy that latest HBO special to my TiVO because I wasn't home? Screw you. You can go pay subscription fees for everything, while I will fight for my rights of fair use. DeCSS is just the TIP of the iceberg of how the MPAA is going to use the DMCA to completely and utterly destroy consumer rights. If I get sold some media of a movie or whatnot, I have the explicit right to view this media ANY WAY I wish, for my own personal use. The movie companies don't like this, because if I have the ability to say, copy a DVD to my hard drive, I can then shift it to other mediums and they lose their precious revenue on media sales for the next format they decide to release. So, they get unconstitutional laws passed by paying off politicians, so they can make it their friggen *RIGHT* to get a profit. God I don't get how anyone with half a brain can not see the implications of how corporate America is destroying your rights as a citizen.

New music formats will not allow you to copy the media. Sorry, no more mp3's in your computer or to listen to on the road. Guess you'll have to buy whatever CD and cart it around with you, or better yet, buy two!

Corporations are being extremely successful at lobbying to get laws passed that makes everyone a criminal. Shame on you for supporting that.


Anyways, as for the patent issue... I am personally holding out hope that these blatant disregards for any type of moral responsibility will only serve to inflame regulators and get some reform to the USPO. Rambus is going to go down HARD in flames once someone actually gets the balls to stand up to them (i.e. Micron will not stand by and let themselves get screwed by a company who's employees should be in jail), and I'm willing to bet all the other businesses with the sole plan of &quot;sue people that actually make a positive impact on society&quot; will soon follow suit. I just hope a hell of a lot of stupid investors lose their life savings for investing in those companies. They are no better than those who run them. Basically they are participating in a &quot;legal&quot; form of racketeering, using a loophole if you will. I'm seriously thinking about filing a patent on the business plan of suing over patents. Then I shall sue the patent suing companies for using my patented business plan. (I know this has been said a lot, but no one has actually attempted to do it as of yet).

Oh well.. you go ahead and let corporations trample over your rights. I for one, will at least stand up when the time comes and fight to keep this country free.

sigh, I just get depressed writing about these issues.

-Phil

 

[RGN]

Hey, that a good Idea! I'm going to Patent Madness before all of you! I will make millions!!!!!! All the MADNESS IS MINE!!!!!


/me runs off to the patent office before its to late.