[Opensim-dev] personal plea on patents

[Robert Martin]

On Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 7:38 PM, Mark Malewski <mark.malewski at gmail.com> wrote:
...
> I'm extremely disappointed that IBM would stoop to such a low level.  Large
> corporations seem to do a good job using teams of lawyers to just create
> these silly "blanket" patents, and "shot gun" approach to patents.
> IBM's patent application is NOT for an ORIGINAL or NEW idea or "invention".
>  It's just a weapon to try and stifle innovation and competition in science
> & technology.  It would be similar to Netscape attempting to "patent" a web
> browser, or "patent" the internet.  It might sound absurd, but that is what
> these corporations (like IBM) try to do with these silly blanket patent
> applications.
..
actually the sad thing is inside the fortune 50 crowd having a
"DeathStar grade" patent portfolio is part of the rules of the game

If Company A approaches Company B with 5 patents being infringed the
standard approach is for Company B to go digging and find 5 patents
that Company A is infringing on so they can do a cross license.

The best thing that IBM can do is "donate" the patents they hold to
the Community to that those patents "off the table" unless somebody
decides to get skunky.


-- 
Robert L Martin