

Don't be mad at Apple, be mad at the patent office . . . - aresant

A lot of discussion on HN in the last few days has made it seem like Apple is in the wrong for trying to defend their patents.<p>This, however, is exactly what patents are for.<p>Take a look at this list of items that they are attempting to defend:<p>http://www.businessinsider.com/the-20-patents-apple-hopes-will-crush-its-smartphone-competition-2010-3<p>Everything in there is an important innovation, for which Apple has enjoyed a lead time but the purpose of a patent is that no other company may use the innovation without permission and/or licensing fees.<p>All that said, I am suprised that there is so much negativity towards Apple, even from PG, rather than at the patent office which we all know ain't working . . .<p>Every large-cap business is respinsible to their shareholders to defend their IP - Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, Amazon, etc, etc all employee mills full of attorneys to manage and defend their patents, why should Apple be held to a different standard?
======
buster
Let me just answer that with one link:
<http://www.billbuxton.com/multitouchOverview.html>

Questions?

Tbh, i hope apple gets sued to hell by companies whose patents they use. Their
is a huge mountain of patents at companies like Nokia & Palm :)

~~~
aresant
You prove my point - Nokia is ALREADY engaged in patent suits against apple!

[http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/nokia-sues-apple-says-
iph...](http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/22/nokia-sues-apple-says-iphone-
infringes-ten-patents/)

Again, it's not Apple with the problem, it's the patent system.

All this energy directed at Apple being some exception and "evil" for
defending their patents, when everybody else in the field does the same damn
thing, is misdirected.

