Patents Rock

This is a lightning talk that I have given many times. It's a great, high energy and humourous take on the patent system, and how ludicrous it is when applied to software.

License: CC-BY-NC-SA

Transcript

1. PATENTS ROCK
2. A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a state to an inventor or his assignee for a fixed period of time in exchange for a disclosure of an invention. [wikipedia]
3. Protect Inventors
4. Promote Innovation
5. Why am I talking to you about this today?
7. United States Patent 6368227 A method of swinging on a swing is disclosed, in which a user positioned on a standard swing suspended by two chains from a substantially horizontal tree branch induces side to side motion by pulling alternately on one chain and then the other.
9. United States Patent 4300473 Apparatus for moistening adhesive coatings on postage material and the like which includes an enclosure having a container of liquid therein. A plunger is provided to lift an absorbant applicator from the liquid and pass the applicator through an opening in the side of the enclosure. A closure member for the opening is opened in response to the applicator movement.
10. The applicator may be in the form of a human tongue and the closure may be in the form of a human lip.
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17. United States Patent 5443036 A method for inducing cats to exercise consists of directing a beam of invisible light produced by a hand-held laser apparatus onto the floor or wall or other opaque surface in the vicinity of the cat, then moving the laser so as to cause the bright pattern of light to move in an irregular way fascinating to cats, and to any other animal with a chase instinct.
18. United States Patent 6505576 Pet Toy United States Patent 6557495 Laser Pet Toy United States Patent 6651591 Automatic laser pet toy and exerciser United States Patent 6701872 Method and apparatus for automatically exercising a curious animal
19. No, seriously, what's all the fuss about?
20. Thought
21. Ideas
22. Software
23. But that's great!
24. Small companies will have a fighting change against the monoliths!
25. Unfortunately, no!
26. Microsoft have LOTS of software patents
27. IBM have LOTS of software patents
28. Cross licence
29. Free
30. Imagine you have 1
31. Microsoft and IBM infringe your software patent
32. You can sue them!
33. Except you infringe many of Microsoft's and IBM's software patents
34. They could both sue you!
35. And your customers!
36. Or they could just destroy your company or project
37. WIN!
38. Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent
39. Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent Patent
41. Harms Inventors
42. Stifles Innovation
43. PATENTS ROCK
44. SOFTWARE PATENTS SUCK
45. SOFTWARE PATENTS SUCK Unless you have lots of them! @bendechrai Cbna