Lenovo founder talks about innovation, Apple, and IP theft

Interesting, he makes the argument that lack of protection for IP reduces innovation. I know that todays hipsters think that IP is not real property, and I agree philosophically.

But the patent system causes the inventors to publish their inventions and this gives everyone awareness and an opportunity to build on the invention to find their own innovations... whereas without the patent system, IP protection would likely come from obscurity.

I've yet to see an anti-patent person who proposed an alternative. And this article seems to indicate that with little protection, innovation is stifled.

I'm not saying there aren't problems with the patent system, obviously, but before throwing it out one has to consider what alternative would be superior.