Really? Do you still think patents are there to protect inventors? (I'll make an effort to keep this on-topic, I promise) See the ClearType, for example. Without entering into whether ClearType was really an improvement, a punctualization, or whatever on the previous Apple II Wozniak patent. Wozniak patent didn't prevent Microsoft from using a similar idea in their ClearType algorithm. That's because of patent portfolios, which really subvert the system upside-down. I can see the point in patenting the very specific algorithm. But not an idea! The very simple idea of `displaying images where data is "mapped" to individual (e.g. LCD) sub-pixels, instead of whole pixels` is patented! [1].
I see the point, however, in that competing products making money from foreign ideas is not fair (with
ideas meaning a very detailed process, maybe
algorithms would be better worded). They should include a fee for
borrowing the idea. But don't we agree that patents, as they currently are, don't quite make sense with FreeSoftware? Who are they going to charge? Joe the User?? I think an exception for FOSS should be made, and not on a case-by-case basis.
I personally think, really, that patents were created with a very laudable purpose. But that logic has long been subverted. And we have to create alternative ways of revenue for creators. I don't know how much we can keep discussing this subject here, but I would be really interested on discussing this topic and sharing points of views with anybody interested.