Of un-patents and un-inventions

[David Webber (XML)]

Gregory,

It's not that patent are hard to get - that's the whole point!

They are too easy - and when someone get's one - its comes
free with the legal equivalent of a tactical nuclear missile.

Imagine if the government was actually giving out tactical
nuclear missiles to any American who could pay a $500 fee
and complete some paperwork on why they need one,
subject to a 16 hour review processing and issuing time limit
(the time the USPTO allocates to processing a patent).

The whole point is to stop the USPTO being able to issue
patents in a whole range of areas - creating a nuclear-free
zone as it were.

DW

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gregory Aharonian" <srctran at world.std.com>
To: <license-discuss at opensource.org>; "David Webber (XML)" <david at drrw.info>
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 5:17 AM
Subject: Re: Of un-patents and un-inventions


> David Webber suggests:
> >It suddenly occurred to me - that creating un-patents and un-inventing
> >is entirely possible - and indeed we could create a review board
> >and repository to receive these.  These would be a powerful antidote
> >to any possible future claims - and also make nice references for
> >the license to cite the un-invention and un-patent and un-claims.
>
> Actually, it would probably have very little effect, for two reasons.
> First, what you propose is already being offered by a few Web sites,
> with no effect on the operations of patent offices.  Second, all
> patent offices have major problems dealing with large databases of
> abstracts to publications on software.  There are more effective ways
> to help patent offices deal with the logistics of handling non-patent
> prior art during examination.  Hopefully someday they will solicit
> such ideas.  Achieving higher quality software patents (still the best
> tool for small companies) is not that difficult technologically or
> financially, just apparently politically.
>
> Greg Aharonian
> Internet Patent News Service
> www.bustpatents.com
>
>