[mythtv-users] "Odometer" Threads
Brian Wood
beww at beww.org
Wed Feb 6 21:23:43 UTC 2008
David Brodbeck wrote:
> On Feb 6, 2008, at 12:46 PM, Brian Wood wrote:
>> I just can't see how that patent could possibly have been granted.
>> There
>> is so much prior art it seems impossible to me.
>>
>> But then again, patents are granted by the government.
>
> And frankly the patent office doesn't have the funding or technical
> expertise to work it out. This is probably because the business lobby
> wants it that way; having a weak patent office is in their interests.
> I suspect the patent office just issues what's requested and figures
> the legal system will overturn the patent if there really is prior art.
Plus they can't hire the brightest people. Remember that famous incident
in the 19th century when a fellow wanted to resign because everything
had already been invented.
The whole idea, to encourage and reward individual inventors, has been
history for a long time.
But at least I can now do patent searches from my home computer, it used
to be a major operation.
beww
beww
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