[echelon]

I used to be 100% on board with you and totally agree.

The problem is that in today's world, a few players dominate the entire industry and can erase up and coming startups by simply pouring engineers and money into problems. Innovation can be copied on the cheap by these titans, leaving the hard working original inventor (companies with products and not trolls) with nothing to show.

Small companies with products (not trolls) need something to protect themselves against the giants. Because it certainly isn't a level playing field anymore.

Power is concentrated. Google and friends can't be the winners that take all.

I don't like patents. But there's no other way to survive when a giant wants to clone your product.