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March 10, 2009
Economists Say Copyright and Patent Laws Are Killing Innovation; Hurting Economy
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/549822/?sc=dwhn
"Patent and copyright law are stifling innovation and threatening the global economy according to two economists at Washington University in St. Louis in a new book, Against Intellectual Monopoly. Professors Michele Boldrin and David K. Levine call for abolishing the current patent and copyright system in order to unleash innovations necessary to reverse the current recession and rescue the economy. The professors discuss their stand against intellectual property protections in a video and news release linked here."
This is something that I've believed for some time. Patents don't help anyone but "patent trolls". Basically, some idiot applies for and receive a patent for "sending emails through the air". They don't have to do anything else then, but sit back and wait for someone to actually produce a technology that does that and then sue them. This is how patents work. You shouldn't be awarded a patent unless you're actually producing a product that is available on the market. I actually think that, even in this case, the argument for a patent is still somewhat dubious.
Posted by Rob Kiser on March 10, 2009 at 10:47 PM
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