[mattmaroon]

You should read the section of SuperFreakonomics devoted to him before dismissing him as a patent troll. If that book is to believed (and I'll take the word of Levitt and Dubner, distinguished authors who visited his lab, over that of Michael Arrington any day) he's a pretty swell guy.

[starkfist]

Yeah I've read that. He's an interesting guy but still kind of the textbook definition of patent troll.

[mattmaroon]

That's because "patent troll" is a derogatory term made up by people who are opposed to the very idea of patents. It comes from people who are frustrated by the patent system (often rightfully so) but aren't intelligent or knowledgeable enough to propose real solutions that don't undermine the basis of our economy and instead want to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

It's the tech equivalent of calling someone a communist. It's a valueless ad hominem.