Two words: "Prior Art"

[robkelk]

The Register: http://www.theregister.co.uk/Print/2014 ... ackground/]Amazon granted patent for taking photos against a white background – seriously

What will it take to get the Patent Office cleaned up?
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Foxboy]

The nigh-impossible task of removing money from Politics.

After all there's a huge office complex in one District of Texas full of "Just a nameplate" companies that hold hundreds of patents and sue at a drop of a hat.
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''

-- James Nicoll

[CattyNebulart]

Removing the incentive to the patent office to grant patents. At the moment the patent office is making a profit, and pattent examiners have to strongly justify why they are dening a patent. Change the incentives a little....
E: "Did they... did they just endorse the combination of the JSDF and US Army by showing them as two lesbian lolicons moving in together and holding hands and talking about how 'intimate' they were?"
B: "Have you forgotten so soon? They're phasing out Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

[khagler]

An attempt at reform was killed just this week: How the patent trolls won in Congress.

[Black Aeronaut]

At the very least the US Supreme Court seems to be on our side: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014 ... ent-troll/

[robkelk]

That they do:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/Print/2014 ... ringement/
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012