IP: Patent Wars....

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

>>Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2001 13:27:56 -0700
>>To: >>To: dgillmor@sjmercury .com
>>From: "John D. Trudel, CMC, CPCM" <jtrudel@teleport.com>
>>Subject: Patent Wars....
>>
>>Dear Dan --
>>
>>It was good to see your column today, fittingly on Friday the 13th, about 
>>problems in the patent office (PTO). Still, the problems with the PTO go 
>>so much deeper than issues of fees. Don't blame Bush. He inherited this 
>>mess, which I expect will get much worse before it gets better.
>>
>>It may help understanding if you read the technology laws that Congress 
>>passed in the 1996-1999 period as exactly the converse of what their 
>>titles imply. For example, the "Inventor's Protection Act of 1999" (which 
>>just took full effect last November) served to regulate technology, 
>>destroy innovation by small firms, and allow the theft of U.S. technology 
>>to benefit incumbents and foreign interests. The telecom act of 1996, 
>>allegedly passed to ensure high speed digital access thorough the local 
>>phone monopolies, was a sham (see "telechasm" in the current, May, issue 
>>of Wired) that has choked off the Internet. It eventually destroyed 
>>billions in shareholder value and most of the DSL and bypass firms. The 
>>Digital Millennium Copyright Act is one of the most Draconian attempts to 
>>curb free speech and regulate technology in Western history, etc.
>>
>>That is why I for so many years -- yes, I am now retired from the patent 
>>wars -- tried to get Congress and the media to pay some attention to what 
>>was happening. So did many others, including a quorum of our Nobel 
>>laureates. Without success.
>>
>>We once had the recognized best-in-the-world patent system. It's gone. 
>>The current, totally rewritten, patent system does more to allow piracy 
>>and blockage of disruptive technology by special interests than it does 
>>to encourage innovation. It shifts wealth from innovation to litigation. 
>>The new law is so confusing, contradictory, and ambiguous that a steady 
>>stream of cases is already flowing to the Supreme Court. See 
>>http://www.trudelgroup.com/pwars.htm
>>
>>We've created a monster. Pouring more money into the PTO is NOT the 
>>answer. Let's fix the system before we throw more money at it. Right now 
>>this monster is already doing our economy more harm than good. Making it 
>>larger (as bureaucrats always suggest) will increase, not diminish, the harm.
>>
>>Peace,
>>
>>John D. Trudel
>>
>>**********************
>>John D. Trudel -- author, columnist, speaker, and business innovation guru.
>>
>>"We help technology and strategy come together to create value."
>>
>>Based in beautiful Oregon and in Cyberspace
>>
>>(503) 638-8644 <http://www.trudelgroup.com> <jtrudel@teleport.com>



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