Hacker News Reader

Simple -

Patent trolls file suits against cool hip trendy geek friendly companies like Apple and Google.

IP companies protect their investment when it's stolen by big evil companies like Microsoft or Sony.

It's only an investment if you plan to use it later for some other purpose than suing people that turn an idea into reality and actually contribute realisation of that idea to society. As it stands society will never benefit from most inventions unless a "big evil company" "steals" the idea (through their own research presumably) and turns it into reality.

If I only I could get a patent on irony - unfortunately it would mean getting Americans to understand it.

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