NY Times Comes Out Against The Broken Patent System

from the good-to-see dept

Following the recent NY Times article on how tax strategies are getting patented, the paper has come out with an opinion piece about how our patent system is broken and rewarding exactly the opposite behavior that it was intended to encourage: “Patents are supposed to encourage innovation, rewarding the individual for the greater good of society. But excessive or overly broad patents can slow business activity to the pace of cold molasses.” This isn’t anything new to plenty of folks, of course. However, it is good to see a publication like the NY Times make the point as well.


Rate this comment as insightful
Rate this comment as funny
You have rated this comment as insightful
You have rated this comment as funny
Flag this comment as abusive/trolling/spam
You have flagged this comment
The first word has already been claimed
The last word has already been claimed
Insightful Lightbulb icon Funny Laughing icon Abusive/trolling/spam Flag icon Insightful badge Lightbulb icon Funny badge Laughing icon Comments icon

Comments on “NY Times Comes Out Against The Broken Patent System”

Subscribe: RSS Leave a comment
8 Comments
Anonymous Coward says:

All the patent does, is allow the person (or usually corporation) holding it to reap the rewards for as long as its valid. That’d be fine and good and all if the person responsible for the invention got all the rewards. I say once a patent gets sold and becomes a piece of property for the public, what ever it concerns also then becomes the property of the entire public.

misanthropic humanist says:

IP, progress, choose one.

Patents are an unconscionable idea in a modern civilised society. I am in good company holding this belief along with Mr Einstein and Mr Jefferson, but it’s proving hard to enlighten ordinary folk who have been so utterly brainwashed by the corporations.

Anybody of moderate intelligence who makes a dispassionate and honest analysis of intellectual property will arrive at the conclusion that it impedes progress.

Besides, there are no inventions, only discoveries. Nobody who believes in God or creationism can consistently assert the case for intellectual property. But mere logical impossibility has never stood in the way of these greedy retards before.

So, as a freethinking athiest, or a religious conservative you must reject intellectual property as a concept. It is unique in being anti-capitalist, anti-socialist and spanning all creeds and religions as an abhorent notion.

The only supporters of the idea are a disproportionately vocal minority who have a vested interest in keeping intellectual property, and those who do not understand it.

Add Your Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Have a Techdirt Account? Sign in now. Want one? Register here

Comment Options:

Make this the or (get credits or sign in to see balance) what's this?

What's this?

Techdirt community members with Techdirt Credits can spotlight a comment as either the "First Word" or "Last Word" on a particular comment thread. Credits can be purchased at the Techdirt Insider Shop »

Follow Techdirt

Techdirt Daily Newsletter

Ctrl-Alt-Speech

A weekly news podcast from
Mike Masnick & Ben Whitelaw

Subscribe now to Ctrl-Alt-Speech »
Techdirt Deals
Techdirt Insider Discord
The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...
Loading...