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Originally Posted by miguel1626
They impose huge costs on society as a whole - destroying billions of dollars in value. (the Boston University paper I just linked estimates something on the order of $80 billion dollars per year!) |
Actually, according to the report it's an average of $25 billion over a ten-year period. And it's not a "destruction of value," it's transfers from the manufacturer to the patent holder -- one corporation to another.
Patent insurance is also available, but not mentioned in that report.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by miguel
If I'd the choice, I'd probably get rid of patents altogether...
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Yes, rather than reform the system, let's just throw the baby out with the bathwater.
It's pretty clear that no judge is going to order the "destruction" of hundreds of thousands of consumer devices, nor is that the goal. They want Amazon to pony up some cash. Dealing with patents -- whether active or inactive -- is part of the cost of doing business.
And let's keep in mind that patent design terms are relatively short -- 14 years in the US.