Re: IBM bathroom patent symbolic of US patent ills

[pltrgyst <pltrgyst@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:56:41 -0700 (PDT), "J.A. Legris" <jalegris@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

>...The decay you observe in the USPTO is a reflection of the entire society.

Exactly. Any "decay" you might see at USPTO is the result of four things:

1. Court decisions that made "business processes" patentable.

2. Technological advances that have erased the dividing line between hardware
and software, as confirmed by the courts.

3. Congress inadequately funding the USPTO (particularly diverting fees to the
general fund).

4. Incredibly inept top-level management during the present administration,
which has stuck PTO with political refugees and Texas deadwood to an extent
never before experienced.

-- Larry