[LINK] The lights are on but nobody's at home in the city without a clue

[Adam Todd]

At 09:12 PM 13/06/2007, Brendan Scott wrote:
> > 
> http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/sydney-the-city-without-a-clue/2007/06/12/1181414305829.html
> >
> >
> > This is based on, among other things, the number of universities in
> > each city, the spread of broadband access, the amount of patents
> > applied for, and the number of daily newspapers for every million
> > people.
>
>
>I see, so despite how vibrant it is, if it doesn't have broadband or 
>a lax patent system it gets bad marks?

Vibrant? Pfft.

Sadly Australian developers are reluctant or inhibited from creating 
too much unless the Government, it seems, has control.

I gave up years ago, and sold some ideas offshore.  I've held back 
the last 10 years in advancing some of my designs and projects (even 
though they are unique and could save consumers or business millions 
a year, some even decrease carbon foot print) because there is little 
point me trying to pursue these things from Australia.

I'll wait till I'm over seas, in a country that has a manufacturing 
and business base that focuses on that aspect, rather than importing 
the cheapest thing it can find from China.

Sure, some of my gimos will end up manufactured in China and sold 
back to Australia - they are "cheap" and they are "usable by everyone 
every day" concepts.

But I have no desire after my experienced in the 1980's and 1990's to 
even waste my time, passion or remaining mental capacity to try and 
do these things from within Australia.  There is no point.

>Are they going to mark the US down retrospectively now that their 
>Supreme Court has given a ruling likely to invalidate a large 
>proportion of patents filed there over the past decade?

Who knows, but at least the likleyhood that many patents that should 
not have been granted will find the round pile.

Although there are some people out there who are community 
minded.  They have registered trade marks and patents to stop 
corporations abusing the consumer.

:)  is just one trade mark that drew attention a few years ago.  It's 
still registered and I totally support it's registration and the 
reasons behind it.

Thank goodness someone with a brain did register it, otherwise some 
w**ker would and we'd never be able to use it again!

There are hundreds of registrations for patents that were filed by 
people after the "Amazon One Click" fiasco, that still continues 
today.  The patents were filed by people who worked together to 
protect the ability for all people to use freely available and 
globally developed concepts and technologies.

"One Click" is not a unique process. With Amazon enforcing it 
everywhere, even against companies and web sites that had used it for 
years before Amazon even put it on their development plans, it's no 
surprise some people rush out and register whatever they can to 
ensure ongoing public use.

Sadly Barristers and Lawyers are often liars when it comes to 
presenting facts.  (sigh)  I can name a few, but will save that for 
the web site launching in a few days.

I hope the patents that have been registered by people to protect the 
"thing" from abusive commercial exploitation remain regardless.  It 
sets a mark that is important.