Comment Absurd patent infringement & Internet Startups (Score 1) 572
The threat of broad, enforceable patents makes the prospect of starting an 'Internet Startup' more and more ominous.
I will admit, in other markets ( more classic markets (ala, industry)), the current U.S. Patent laws / regulations seem to maintain some sense of control over the proliferation of 'mouse traps'. They have kept up market diveristy and innovation rates.
However, the recent surge of Internet 'patents' is rather disheartening for a man in my industry (Internet Startups). The big players seem to be creating absolute barriers to entry in their competitive niches. In some cases, (ala amazon.com), they seem to even be claiming ownership of the 'usage' of the concepts fundamental behind the design of the open protocol that their patent is based on.
It's about as ludicrous as having the plumbers try to charge you a water bill.
I will admit, that Patents have fostered innovation and originality in the past. However, I doubt that broad, loosely tied patents on such newly emerging technology will bolster the growth of the industry in any way what-so-ever. If public interfaces are restricted and 'licensed' to single players like amazon.com, the entire concept of the 'Internet' looses it's value in my eyes. It quickly becomes nothing but prioprietarily encoded point-to-point connections, not the open wealth of information that it is supposed to be.
I am personallity knowingly violating a number of 'data mining' and 'search' patents, without regard for the 'owners' of these methods. Had I been chicken enough to sit idly by and let these things go enforced without force, my ideas probably would not have gotten funded, and I would hardly have made my mark on the Internet, which I am working furiously to do right now.
Broad Internet patents are not appreciated. By me, and many other Tech. Entrepreneurs.
-Brockman
I will admit, in other markets ( more classic markets (ala, industry)), the current U.S. Patent laws / regulations seem to maintain some sense of control over the proliferation of 'mouse traps'. They have kept up market diveristy and innovation rates.
However, the recent surge of Internet 'patents' is rather disheartening for a man in my industry (Internet Startups). The big players seem to be creating absolute barriers to entry in their competitive niches. In some cases, (ala amazon.com), they seem to even be claiming ownership of the 'usage' of the concepts fundamental behind the design of the open protocol that their patent is based on.
It's about as ludicrous as having the plumbers try to charge you a water bill.
I will admit, that Patents have fostered innovation and originality in the past. However, I doubt that broad, loosely tied patents on such newly emerging technology will bolster the growth of the industry in any way what-so-ever. If public interfaces are restricted and 'licensed' to single players like amazon.com, the entire concept of the 'Internet' looses it's value in my eyes. It quickly becomes nothing but prioprietarily encoded point-to-point connections, not the open wealth of information that it is supposed to be.
I am personallity knowingly violating a number of 'data mining' and 'search' patents, without regard for the 'owners' of these methods. Had I been chicken enough to sit idly by and let these things go enforced without force, my ideas probably would not have gotten funded, and I would hardly have made my mark on the Internet, which I am working furiously to do right now.
Broad Internet patents are not appreciated. By me, and many other Tech. Entrepreneurs.
-Brockman
