Why are intelligent observers against overly broad patents of any kind?
Because they see what is coming and wish to avoid these kinds of monopolistic charades....but first,
a small look back at history in a short video of Steve Jobs (40 seconds)
Josh Lowensohn has the current story at CNET News in Apple wants to keep Samsung's Galaxy S3 out of U.S. because it allegedly infringes two Apple patents for "unified search" and "links for structures."
Patents for "unified search" and "links for structures"?
U.S. patent law says that obvious, overly broad claims can not be patented, and yet that is the Apple patent strategy, aided by its handmaiden USPTO: essentially invent nothing, steal what you can from prior art, make overly broad patent claims, and then play patent troll against competitors while selling overhyped and overpriced products to consumers.
That has in fact proven to be a very successful strategy, especially in the USA. Just read the Isaacson biography of Steve Jobs for lessons on how to sell $10 of cheap materials at 50 times that price to the brainwashed masses. See Steve Jobs' angry quotes from biography can be used in Apple-Motorola trial, judge rules. As one can see in the video above: "We have always been shameless about stealing great ideas." - Steve Jobs, Triumph of the Nerds (1996). Exactly that.
Apple invented neither search nor links. It is absolutely absurd that the USPTO has patented some kind of trivial patents for search or linking, all using the same basic prior art search and hyperlink technology that has been used since the digital era started and long before that.
A patented method to search? Forbidding others to search the way YOU do? Absurd! A patented method to link? Forbidding others to link the way YOU do? Absurd! That the courts tolerate this kind of primitive monopolistic sophistry is a scandal.
We own neither Apple nor Samsung smartphones -- finding both to be overhyped and overpriced -- but we can spot patent trolling scams when we see them.
And we can also see how essentially trivial patents are being shamelessly misused in the courts to delay product rollouts in international trade by competitors.
We are not involved personally in whether Apple or Samsung triumphs in these matters, but it is a scandal that legal systems are permitting these charades, whether in the USA or elsewhere. It is a development which reduces respect for the law -- everywhere -- and that is a dangerous thing.
