new patents
new patent rules go into effect in a week. the patent system has been around for hundreds of years. and now all of a sudden it's a whole new game. we will be first-to-invent instead of first-to-file. just like every other country in the world. currently, the little guy can force the big guy to stop selling an infringing product. the big fish buy up the little fish. big fish cross-license their patents with each other. but next week the stroke of a pen has made everything differnt. goliath can infringe at will and let a judge decide the value of david's patent. the value of innovation goes down the tubes. i'm all for refining the patent system. it's not perfect. but these things need to be done slowly so industries have time to adjust. and policy makers have time to catch the unforeseen consequences of their changes. sigh.