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Ask HN: What's your opinion of software patents?

3 points by codingclaws 3y ago

mattbgates 3y ago
"Google has a total of 111,911 patents globally, out of which 69,905 have been granted. Of these 111,911 patents, more than 70% patents are active. Google's technical innovations and diverse business initiatives have contributed to its portfolio of over 50,000 patent assets worldwide." https://insights.greyb.com/google-patents/ https://insights.greyb.com/google-patents/ "Apple Inc: 2,541 patents granted" "Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC: 2,418 patents granted." "Qualcomm Inc: 2,149 patents granted." "BOE Technology Group Co Ltd: 2,135 patents granted." https://www.macrumors.com/2022/02/14/apple-ranks-seventh-with-2500-patents-in-2021/ https://www.macrumors.com/2022/02/14/apple-ranks-seventh-wit... If the richest and smartest companies are patenting their algorithms and software, you probably should too, if you don't want people copying your software code, and it gives you the right to sue those who do. Always good to protect yourself, no matter where you are starting, or where you are going.
- cookiengineer 3y ago
  > gives you the right to sue those who do. This should be "gives you the liability to defend those patents." If you don't have the money to defend, your patent is worth a shit. And compared to Oracle or a similar evilcorp, you have no money. Which in turn means your patent isn't worth defending. As a small business, a patent is only worth something if you aim to be acquired by one of the big ones. And it's a gamble.
  - nivertech 3y ago
    > This should be "gives you the liability to defend those patents." It's a right, not an obligation (an option). And it always good to have options. > As a small business Maybe you're right in the case of small business, but for high growth startup, it's better to have this option, in case you'll succed in the future. It's all about thinking optimistically vs pessimistically. If you're a pessimist, then it's better not to do anything risky or uncertain (like starting a starup) anyway ;)
dyingkneepad 3y ago
What they're mostly able to achieve these days is to prevent innovation, they are a tool of power. Patents are a way for the people with money to bully others out of their attempts to do anything. Most patents are absolute BS and should not have been granted at all, they're about things other people could have invented with 10 minutes of thinking. They're also giving an extra advantages to countries which simply do not bother with them. Heck, they're preventing innovation even with Arcade Sticks!! (see Hitbox Arcade attempts to bully competitors that had a superior product)
mikewarot 3y ago
The tests for obviousness should now be updated to include anything you can find in a short time on the Internet, or a Computer Science book.

3 points by codingclaws 3y ago

"Google has a total of 111,911 patents globally, out of which 69,905 have been granted. Of these 111,911 patents, more than 70% patents are active. Google's technical innovations and diverse business initiatives have contributed to its portfolio of over 50,000 patent assets worldwide." https://insights.greyb.com/google-patents/ https://insights.greyb.com/google-patents/ "Apple Inc: 2,541 patents granted" "Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC: 2,418 patents granted." "Qualcomm Inc: 2,149 patents granted." "BOE Technology Group Co Ltd: 2,135 patents granted." https://www.macrumors.com/2022/02/14/apple-ranks-seventh-with-2500-patents-in-2021/ https://www.macrumors.com/2022/02/14/apple-ranks-seventh-wit... If the richest and smartest companies are patenting their algorithms and software, you probably should too, if you don't want people copying your software code, and it gives you the right to sue those who do. Always good to protect yourself, no matter where you are starting, or where you are going.

cookiengineer 3y ago
> gives you the right to sue those who do. This should be "gives you the liability to defend those patents." If you don't have the money to defend, your patent is worth a shit. And compared to Oracle or a similar evilcorp, you have no money. Which in turn means your patent isn't worth defending. As a small business, a patent is only worth something if you aim to be acquired by one of the big ones. And it's a gamble.
- nivertech 3y ago
  > This should be "gives you the liability to defend those patents." It's a right, not an obligation (an option). And it always good to have options. > As a small business Maybe you're right in the case of small business, but for high growth startup, it's better to have this option, in case you'll succed in the future. It's all about thinking optimistically vs pessimistically. If you're a pessimist, then it's better not to do anything risky or uncertain (like starting a starup) anyway ;)

dyingkneepad 3y ago

What they're mostly able to achieve these days is to prevent innovation, they are a tool of power. Patents are a way for the people with money to bully others out of their attempts to do anything. Most patents are absolute BS and should not have been granted at all, they're about things other people could have invented with 10 minutes of thinking. They're also giving an extra advantages to countries which simply do not bother with them. Heck, they're preventing innovation even with Arcade Sticks!! (see Hitbox Arcade attempts to bully competitors that had a superior product)

mikewarot 3y ago

The tests for obviousness should now be updated to include anything you can find in a short time on the Internet, or a Computer Science book.