USA anti patent troll bill passes house of representatives.

[FAST6191]

If a small business or individual inventor creates something worthwhile and a tech giant (apple samsung) decide to use it without paying for it,
what recourse does the small business or individual have?
These "small fry" could challenge the multinationals in court and they may even win, but the months or years of legal fees and the
eventual years long appeals process could drive most small businesses and individuals into bankruptcy (Sony vs. Lik Sang)

If some huge multinational corporation stole your patents, would you have enough money to challenge them in court?
If not, you could sell your patents to a "patent troll" that does have the cash to fight years long, multi-million court battles
and you could at least see some money for your efforts without facing financial ruin.

Just like NAFTA, SOPA, and Obamacare. This bill was created by and for the benefit of multinational corporations,
so there really isn't any reason to get excited about this.

This bill does not seem to change anything there, it is already a risky/costly enough action as it is and this does not seem to have any obvious changes there.

Is the legislative system bought and paid for in a lot cases, sure. It does not preclude them from occasionally getting a good idea and pushing things forward though.

Psionic Roshambo have there been many copyright trolls of late? I mainly only ever saw the ones for old newspaper articles and the like and have not read of much in the way of that lately (though looking it up now the main one there went out of business in 2011).

 

[TheCasketMan]

Where is the anti change.org petition bill?!?

 

[Gahars]

But information is free... Anything invented would presumably have been invented anyway sooner or later. Isn't a patent just as likely (or, given enough time, more likely) to withhold from us having access to an idea or invention?

The Aztec Empire was mighty in its day, stretching from coast to coast and owning incredible riches. It was a formidable civilization with many advances that put their European counterparts to shame.

And yet they never invented the wheel (at least, not for transportation). What we see as the simplest and most fundamental invention never even occurred to them.

The point of that little anecdote? Technology isn't guaranteed or destined; it won't just fall on our lap if we wait around long enough. It has to be worked for, and the competition for patents (and the money they can bring) is an incredibly powerful incentive.

The same would be true if there was no patent system. The inventor has the first and last chance to capitalize on his invention before everyone else copies it.

When anyone can take your idea and market it as their own from the very get-go, that doesn't mean very much.