There is something seriously wrong with the...

[quote=Searz]We all know Apple have been general asshats when it comes to patents, but it's not just Apple's fault, the whole system seems inherently broken. http://www.google.com/patents/US6368227 Someone actually managed to patent a way of using a swing. So every time somebody uses a swing that way, they'd be forced to pay a royalty fee. I don't even........... Luckily, the patent was later invalidated, but the fact that it got validated in the first place is just insane. If stuff like that is allowed I might as well patent the use of rectangular screens or the use of glass to protect a screen, or how about "Several still pictures in a sequence, to mimic movement." which basically means that I'd have patented animation.[/quote]

[quote=Acid Reigns]Lol that's completely ridiculous.[/quote]

[quote=Canoas]Patents shouldn't exist. If you invent a new technology you can use it before everyone else reverse engineers it, but preventing others from using it is just stupid and should not be allowed. All patents do is shackle scientific evolution.[/quote]

[quote=Searz]^I agree that it shackles scientific evolution. It will probably get easier to get screwed over if you invent something without patents though.[/quote]

[quote=tehAsian]WTF LOL.[/quote]

[quote=Canoas][quote=Searz] ^I agree that it shackles scientific evolution. It will probably get easier to get screwed over if you invent something without patents though. [/quote] Well, at best what would happen is that, for example, you make a new cellphone with a new technology and other companies would use that technology on their next generation of cellphones. You would still have gotten that head start. Besides, there's plenty of people who get screwed over by selling their patents to a company who the doesn't want to use them. For example, my chemistry teacher invented a chemical literally a thousand times more powerful than morfine. This enabled hospitals to dilute it to 1/1000 of it's concentration and get incredibly cheap anesthetics. What the morphine companies did was buy the patent and then never use it so they could keep making money selling morphine. The new substance was so cheap that it wouldn't be profitable for them.[/quote]

[quote=Searz]Wow, when you hear shit like that I think it'll do far more good than it will do harm.[/quote]

[quote=GrandmasterD]Patents are stupid as hell, im forced to make certain algorithms 'worse' (as in performing time) because otherwise I have to pay for using them in my game engine, ridiculous![/quote]

[quote=GrandmasterD]Some copyrights are good though and really specific inventions could have patents[/quote]

[quote=Searz]Yea. A big overhaul is needed.[/quote]