Via [http://slashdot.org Slashdot]:
:[http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/06/19/1753257&from=rss Do Patents Stop Companies From Creating ‘Perfect’ Products?]: “Chris M writes “In a recent CNET article, the mobile phone editor writes about what he thinks would make a perfect phone. Unfortunately, as someone in the comments section points out, much of the technology that is used in this concept phone belongs to separate companies. ‘I’m sorry to be the Devil’s Advocate here, but most of those feautres are patented to separate companies. It would require almost all the major manufacturers [working together] to do this, which is highly unlikely.’ Do you think patents are stopping companies from creating ‘perfect’ devices, or are there other factors at work”.
Ah, well, I think they’re absolutely right here. While a tournament fuels innovation, patenting—in order to monopolize a an idea and its implementation—stifles it. Resonates with [[The Truth About Piracy]].
”’Patent something and then make it unconditionally free”’ to be used by anyone and everyone. Heal the world.