Re: Apple Patents

[Andrew Richards] " Software patents as a concept are bogus."

Richard,

That's kind of a broad statement, so I won't try to read too much into it.

If you come up with an idea for a better mouse trap, shouldn't you be able to protect your idea? Protect it from others who might simply copy it and profit from your idea? Protect your idea from large corporations who might copy it and also have enough money and lawyers to make it difficult for you stop them?

I thought that was one of the ideas behind patents. Protecting a person's (corporations are apparently people too)idea. That seems like a good idea. At least from the perspective of person with the idea. The end consumer may not have the same perspective. Even though having the ability to patent and idea might be good for the consumer.

But you don't seem to have an issue with patents in general. Specifically software patents? Why would a software idea be different from a non-software idea? Or did I read too much into your comment? (if I did, sorry) I'm just interested.