How Did The U.S. Patent Office Get So Screwed Up?

[Megalith]

We arguably had the best patent system, but now it doesn’t look very good—particularly for the smaller guys who have their ideas adopted by corporate behemoths. The rise of the patent troll has made it even harder for legitimate idea types to get what they rightfully deserve.

Starting in the early 2000s, the rights and protections conferred by a U.S. patent have eroded to the point that they are weaker today than at any time since the Great Depression. A series of Supreme Court decisions and then the most important patent-reform legislation in sixty years, signed into law in 2011, have made it so. The stated purpose of the reform has been to exterminate so-called patent trolls—those entities that own patents (sometimes many thousands of them) and engage in no business other than suing companies for patent infringement. The reforms have had their desired effect. It has become harder for trolls to sue. But they've made it harder for people with legitimate cases, people like Norred, to sue, too.

 

[DrLobotomy]

Money and lawyers are always right. That is the heart of successful capitalism. Don't really understand the confusion.

This is what you want.

This is what you get.

 

[xX_Jack_Carver_Xx]

Bullshit. The PTO got fucked up when Ronnie Raygun and crew decided to end Congressional Funding through the budget and instead make it operate off of revenues from fee's. Any frigging idiot could see the mess coming. They get paid on piece work, not the QUALITY of any of it. Just approve everything and let the Court's sort it out at great expense to the courts and the litigants. Next along come the trolls who feast on the open gash that the system became.

220 fucking years it worked fine, and then the conservative douches got involved. In the meantime, literally the progress of mankind has been held back.

 

[Booyaah]

I actually read that whole article...sucks that guy got screwed. I think there should be a way to have a pre-patent closed door IPR where the prospective patent owner can prove his invention is valid to be patented before seeing his patented idea 10 years later being stolen by large companies.

 

[STrooperTK421]

Bullshit. The PTO got fucked up when Ronnie Raygun and crew decided to end Congressional Funding through the budget and instead make it operate off of revenues from fee's. Any frigging idiot could see the mess coming. They get paid on piece work, not the QUALITY of any of it. Just approve everything and let the Court's sort it out at great expense to the courts and the litigants. Next along come the trolls who feast on the open gash that the system became.

220 fucking years it worked fine, and then the conservative douches got involved. In the meantime, literally the progress of mankind has been held back.

Preach it!

Reagan was an empty headed shit for brains puppet who (IMO) caused catastrophic damage to our society. I do believe his administration still holds the record for the number of convictions for corruption and fuckery... yet the conservatives (only in name mind you) think he is the 2nd coming.

Honestly, given what we know now, and what that man and his cronies did to our nation, I'm rather saddened that that assassin missed.

 

[DrLobotomy]

Preach it!

Reagan was an empty headed shit for brains puppet who (IMO) caused catastrophic damage to our society. I do believe his administration still holds the record for the number of convictions for corruption and fuckery... yet the conservatives (only in name mind you) think he is the 2nd coming.

Honestly, given what we know now, and what that man and his cronies did to our nation, I'm rather saddened that that assassin missed.

Actors only do what they are told by the director. Which is the direct polar opposite of a leader. I will never understand how an actor can get elected. Repeatedly.

Reading through history and documentaries, I used to wonder how a population could stand around and let some crazy group of folks control them. Now that I have lived in it myself, I question my own will.

 

[pothb]

The problem is, your will matters not.

Even if you don't bend, someone else will. And even if the don't, it's rare that either of you would actually react enough to counter it. It's why, even though I don't visit 4chan and the like due to the ridiculously horrendous shit I've heard, I think 4chan is needed, they generally don't care about blowback because they feel like the won't get found out and can get massively pissed. Of course, there's the other side where they do horrendous shit like killing and posting pics. Which, I believe has happened a couple of years ago.

 

[STrooperTK421]

...snip...I used to wonder how a population could stand around and let some crazy group of folks control them...

Easy.

Just appeal to their bigotry and hatred for groups of people they don't know a goddamn thing about. One of the greatest cons the upperclass has pulled (and continues to do so because no one has the fucking balls to call 'em on it) is to pit one group of poor idiots against another group of poor idiots. Mash in there a dash of stupid jingoism and the idea that if you don't agree you are not "American" and a bit of the ole religious dogma bullshit and... POOF... the rich assholes can do whatever they want because the stupid are too busy beating, killing, threatening, etc. each other over DUMB SHIT while they continue to bleed the nation dry.

 

[morningreis]

Easy.

Just appeal to their bigotry and hatred for groups of people they don't know a goddamn thing about. One of the greatest cons the upperclass has pulled (and continues to do so because no one has the fucking balls to call 'em on it) is to pit one group of poor idiots against another group of poor idiots. Mash in there a dash of stupid jingoism and the idea that if you don't agree you are not "American" and a bit of the ole religious dogma bullshit and... POOF... the rich assholes can do whatever they want because the stupid are too busy beating, killing, threatening, etc. each other over DUMB SHIT while they continue to bleed the nation dry.

You just described the rise of Donald Trump