Yes, fix the patent system

Posted Apr 26, 2011 13:16 UTC (Tue) by drag (guest, #31333)
In reply to: Yes, fix the patent system by sorpigal
Parent article: A victory for the trolls

> People are rarely so forward thinking as to fund research that isn't likely to be complete before they succumb to their own illness, much less to do so proactively on the chance that they will develop a given disease.

That's what entrepreneurs are for. They search out new opportunities and seek to fulfill society's needs with the least amount of resources used (and, as a result, highest profits)

> governments are more suited to long term investments and rewards.

The bad thing about governments is that they are insulated against failures, have a poor ability to properly account expenses and lack a feedback mechanism that can properly assess society needs (democratic politics are proven to not be effective). All this means is that they are wasteful with resources and that expenditures are governed by politics and not needs.