> In my book Steal this Idea, I emphasize how intellectual
> property hinders both science & technical change. Much of he cost
> goes to litigation rather than rewarding creativity.
But that litigation is only for a small sliver of the content produced (which of course is the focus of much of the commerce).
No lawyers got rich defending Doug's rights :-)
I'm pretty sure this is a case of "it doesn't matter unless it matters; and then it matters quite a lot" ...
"Business Practice" patents, of course, are a whole 'nuther ball of wax.
/jordan