<p>LOL!!</p>
<p>Not trying to trigger a rant, although you did forget to mention “business method” patents, which, IMO, are a complete absurdity. They, by definition, pay for themselves and have very, very little development costs (patents being designed to recoup the costs of development and prohibit free riders). </p>
<p>As for “bogus” patent infringement cases - are you referring to the patentee or the infringer? About half of patents that are taken to court are invalidated - seems as if the USPTO isn’t doing its job. </p>
<p>You also forgot to mention Blackberry - half a billon dollars for… we aren’t sure what the invention was and the patent office said the patent probably wouldn’t hold up on appeal, but, nevertheless, a half billon to some no-name company that buys patents to sue infringers.</p>
<p>:)</p>