02.18.08
More Patents = More Innovation? (Video)
Does having a maze of of patents guarantee more more innovation — whatever that truly is? Some people think so and they are the barrier to an urgently-needed patent reform. Watch the following video.
The video does not speak about software patents, but it contains little or no explanation to back the (probably false) assertion that investors cease to invent and people go poor without patents. What the video shows by all means is that patents have — at least in some people’s view — become American’s “intellectual monopolies” that people often refer to.
In addition to the USPTO there is also the EPO, which will hopefully remain more sane. Here is a video showing the EPO. █
Highlight: Novell was the first to acknowledge that Microsoft FUD tactics had substance. Novell then used anti-Linux FUD to market itself. 
Highlight: Xandros let Microsoft make patent claims and brag about (paid-for) OOXML support. 
Highlight: Linspire's CEO not only fell into Microsoft arms, but he also assisted the company's attack on GNU/Linux. 
Highlight: Microsoft craves pseudo (proprietary) standards and gets its way using proxies and influence which it buys. 
Highlight: The invasion into the open source world is intended to leave Linux companies neglected, due to financial incentives from Microsoft. 
Analysis: Xen, an open source hypervisor, possibly fell victim to Microsoft's aggressive (and stealthy) acquisition-by-proxy strategy.