Paul M. Janicke (Houston): Overview of the New Patent Law of the United States. Kara W. Swanson (Northeastern): Patents, Politics and Abortion. New Zealand just abolished software patents — here’s why we should, too. Sorting out the high-tech patent mess: Claude Barfield on how recent action by the U.S. trade representative highlights the need for reform in America’s high-tech patent sector. Apple is the patent trolls' No. 1 target, with 171 suits since 2009. Property and theft: Peter Frase on how the overthrow of all intellectual property leaves unanswered the question of how to control the exploitation of the cultural commons by digital capitalists. Nebraska’s attorney general has declared war on patent trolls. Sean Vitka on how patent trolls have a new enemy. “Patent troll” claiming playlists and podcasts scores license with SanDisk: Personal Audio LLC, singled out by EFF and media, is rolling onward. Patent trolls Lumen View: "Calling us patent trolls is a hate crime, now you owe us even more money". Timothy Lee on why large patent holders hate this reform proposal — that’s a good sign: Companies with large patent portfolios oppose a proposal to invalidate bad patents. Chris Matyszczyk on how Google wants to patent splitting the restaurant bill. Eli Dourado on how patent privateers have eroded mutually assured destruction in the computer industry. Finally, a bill to end patent trolling: Bipartisan bill has most of what reformers want and a real chance of passing.
