True, but those are largely one-off fees, as the system adjusts to the new structure.
You're talking about a potential one-off fee for every patent filed in the last 20 years. Even if it only applies to a fraction of the total number of patents filed, the cumulative effect is likely to be considerable.
And that's not considering the fact that the patent office and courts are already overburdened - working through the tangle of change will be a major undertaking, with major costs to the nation. If that cost isn't paid, the system may slow to a crawl, and time is money.
Which is not to say it shouldn't be done. Any improvement in infrastructure has a cost. But we would be wise to not be dismissive of the effects, either.
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Date: 2006-11-29 03:28 pm (UTC)You're talking about a potential one-off fee for every patent filed in the last 20 years. Even if it only applies to a fraction of the total number of patents filed, the cumulative effect is likely to be considerable.
And that's not considering the fact that the patent office and courts are already overburdened - working through the tangle of change will be a major undertaking, with major costs to the nation. If that cost isn't paid, the system may slow to a crawl, and time is money.
Which is not to say it shouldn't be done. Any improvement in infrastructure has a cost. But we would be wise to not be dismissive of the effects, either.