• floquant@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    15 hours ago

    Patenting things you don’t have intention of actually doing, “just in case”, is just shit tbh.

    • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      13 hours ago

      Used to be called patent trolling, but now that all the big corporations that own the politicians deciding patent law are doing it, it’s considered “prudent business practice”

      IBM alone files more patents that they’ll never use (except for lawsuits in case someone else does something useful with something similar) in a year than most companies file IN TOTAL for several decades.

    • blitzen@lemmy.ca
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      15 hours ago

      It can prevent others from doing it, which can be a net good.

      • floquant@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        15 hours ago

        How? In this specific case it’s about brand identity, so I don’t think anyone else would make BMW-shaped screws. But in general, how is “I had this idea, I don’t want to make it, but want to stop others from making it” good?

        • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          13 hours ago

          how is “I had this idea, I don’t want to make it, but want to stop others from making it” good?

          It isn’t under ANY circumstances and to think so without being the patent trolling asshole yourself is some Stockholm syndrome level simping for the overlords.

      • piccolo@sh.itjust.works
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        14 hours ago

        Design patents only last 15 years max. Unless they intend to use it, its just purely a publicity stunt.