> The whole notion that patents are only legitimate if you build something is completely bogus. Either the patent system is about encouraging and rewarding innovation and then it should apply to anyone equally, or it is not and we should abolish it.
That's a sophism, it's not either theses possibilities.
For me patents protect someone building something innovative, to later on profit from what he builds. It's not to reward innovation, it's to protect your capacity to build that innovation and sell it. It's not how patent troll use it, thus I disagree with their use.
> but it is not ok for smaller inventors to sell their patents to some of these "trolls" who then sue the big companies for violating the patents?
Why would it be? How is that beneficial to innovation?
Nobody here said either that it was right to use the patent system to keep out any competitors or newcomers either... it's right to keep competitors out while you build it/sell it at first, but it's not right to use it purely to keep competitors out.
That's a sophism, it's not either theses possibilities.
For me patents protect someone building something innovative, to later on profit from what he builds. It's not to reward innovation, it's to protect your capacity to build that innovation and sell it. It's not how patent troll use it, thus I disagree with their use.
> but it is not ok for smaller inventors to sell their patents to some of these "trolls" who then sue the big companies for violating the patents?
Why would it be? How is that beneficial to innovation?
Nobody here said either that it was right to use the patent system to keep out any competitors or newcomers either... it's right to keep competitors out while you build it/sell it at first, but it's not right to use it purely to keep competitors out.