Unfortunatelly this argument does not fly

Unfortunatelly this argument does not fly

I think this episode will be quoted in the future as an example of how software patents stand in the way of progress.

But the video support can be shown as pro-patent example as well! Patent-encumbered formats were developed faster then totally free ones - and diffirence is sizable: years, not days or months.

So this controversy is not so clear-cut as you want to show. If anything is supports IBM's position: that some form or software patents can be good for progress, but at the same time they can slow down progress to so we need to balance the system, not destroy it totally... Software patents do increase number of innovations creation (like any other patents), but the do slow down rate of innovations adoption (the same: like any other patents) and currently the score is totally skewed to the "creation" side and it's stupid: innovations are only useful when they are are adopted and integrated in real products...

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