BSA Criticizes Software Patents
Washington Post (reg. req., use BugMeNot) Jan 5, 2005, “Tech Firms Aim to Change Copyright Act”:
The BSA also proposed changes to U.S. patent law. The technology industry is facing spiraling litigation costs over patent rights, which the BSA said threatens to stifle innovation.
One problem is that as patents have proliferated, a new kind of business has emerged in which companies seek to enforce patents solely to make money, not to use the technology. Even when the patents are not likely to stand up in court, companies often settle with the patent owners rather than go through costly legal battles.
The BSA also wants a system to allow third parties to be able to challenge those patents.
What is going on? What is the trick? I hope this helps in the EU anti-software patent battle.
