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An old thought that received some new attention in a recent opinion piece by Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research is that Microsoft and Bill Gates owe their great wealth to excessive patent and copyright law. Bill Gates is of course not the only beneficiary. The larger problem is that these legal excesses have greatly contributed to wealth inequality.
Baker's solution? Reduce or abolish copyrights and patents.
The Secret to the Incredible Wealth of Bill Gates
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Extreme Copyrights and Patents Made Bill Gates Rich
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Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle which fits them all.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by gOnZo on Friday June 24 2016, @10:06AM
Martin Shkreli & Daraprim?
...the tip of the iceberg [rense.com].
Never mind the ever extending length of patent protection, and lawyers providing tips on sleazy ways to artificially extend.
This system is BROKEN.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Friday June 24 2016, @04:12PM
Never mind the ever extending length of patent protection
You're confusing patents with copyrights. The original patent term under the 1790 Patent Act was 14 years, six years shorter than today. Copyright, OTOH started out at 14 years and is now 95 years after the death of the author for a privately produced work, and 95 years for "works for hire".
Patents are about the right length, copyrights last far too long (and I say that as someone who holds several registered copyrights and no patents at all).
Carbon, The only element in the known universe to ever gain sentience