What about the power? I don't speak horse.
I was going to say "Let me Google that for you!", but Wolfram provides a very detailed answer. http://www.wolframalpha.com/in...
- Stopping submarine patents and patent trolls.
- Actually doing due diligence on first-discovery vs. the nonsensical "first to file"
- Actually doing due diligence to keep the Obvious and Trivial patents out
- Actually doing due diligence to be sure someone isn't trying to patent something already patented
I would argue that first to file is as important as first to discover. There are scoundrels and then there are SCOUNDRELS that even if they are doing discovery/invention that will falsify data to claim they were "first". The discover/invention process needs to be documented much like scientific method and independently verified.
The EU rule that a patent must be file before announcement is ludacris. Public announcement AND demonstration of a discovery/invention in fact should improve the standing of a patent application if we are really concerned with patent trolls.
HOLY MACRO!