Re:Applying for patents (Score 1)

In theory this is how it should work and in fact in the normal patent domain there is a well tied system for identifiying prior art. Hugh databases exist with sensible subdivisions where prior ideas can be found and identified quickly.. However, in the software domain, nothing of the sort exists. The USA have had software paptents for many years and the only people benefiting form them are klarge corporations which a) have patent departments working efficiently. No smal or medium size company can afford the cost of a patent. What US patent holders have been doing is using their patents to prevent competiotion as well as "strategivally". This means trhat if I have a patent and want to scarem someone into sharing their intellectual property I simply threaten to sue on some trivial intellectual property to, in effect, steal the real intellectual property from someone who cannot afforf the many thousands of Euros it would take to defend themselves against the claims. Software for many years has been well protected in Europe copyright, trade secreats and other intellectual property legislation. Patents are both unneccessary and unworkable.