[dennyabraham]

SawStop actually granted Bosch a license to their safety patents for Reaxx some time ago. Moreover, they said during the hearing that they'd offer permissive public licensing to their remaining patents should this rule be made effective.

[jjav]

They said, sure. Saw Stop has been such a toxic bad actor around their patents since forever, they don't get any benefit of doubt. I'm certain they'd just back down from that promise as soon as the law passes. How about they make all their patents public domain beforehand, to motivate passing the law (and I'd that point I'd be happy to support the law).

And imagine if this law passes and Saw Stop has monopoly on table saws. Sure, today you can buy one for $900 but nothing will prevent them from raising that to like $5000 when nobody else is allowed to build a table saw.

[kevin_thibedeau]

Saw Stop's original patents are expiring. Reaxx will come back on the market and there will be a superior alternative that doesn't self-destruct. Saw Stop defending their patents during their period of exclusivity is the entire point of the patent system. There is no reason to vilify them for it when they used it to launch a successful business.

[DopplerSmell]

There is a huge difference between defending a patent in a free market and regulatory capture mandating a product.

The patent system is not very compatible with highly regulated markets, it changes the game from choosing to buy something innovative to a non-voluntary overreach.

[sokoloff]

What is toxic about their behavior? It seems like they genuinely invented the mousetrap for this particular type of mouse and wanting to be paid for that invention seems commercial rather than inherently toxic.

[ikekkdcjkfke]

An ancestor comment mentioned a patent using electricity to detect flesh in sheep sheerers from 1982...

[GuB-42]

Detecting flesh using electricity probably dates back from the voltaic pile, more than 200 years ago.

But it wasn't used to stop sawblades. How to reliably detect flesh without too many false triggers, do it fast enough, on a spinning blade, and as part of a complete system that includes the brake and actuation mechanism. That's what the patent is about, not the vague idea of using electricity to detect flesh.

[wredcoll]

You do have some kind of proof for this wild accusation.. right?

[xdennis]

> Moreover, they said during the hearing that they'd offer permissive public licensing to their remaining patents should this rule be made effective.

It sounds incredibly naive to think this will happen. If they haven't done it so far why would they do it when the government mandates that you have to be their customer?

[thereisnospork]

Because any rule should trivially have 'permissive public licensing' as a requirement?

[davrosthedalek]

Indeed, and Bosch did not reenter the market with a Reaxx because they believe that people will not spend the extra money. For me this is a very strong argument for a mandate.

[nothercastle]

Yes the mandate will both drive down prices and force adoption. Both good things