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I do understand where you're coming from, but it simply isn't the capitalistic way of doing things. Over time, companies who devote the time, money, effort, and put the consumer first make the most money. (Save for a few sectors... Oil, for instance.) It isn't perfect, but it's a hell of a lot better than socialism or communism.

The point is not if it's better than something worth (!), but that the patent system alone it's less better that it used to be.
The fact that it could be way more broken is not an argument for not fixing it now. In fact, it's event an argument for fixing it as soon as possible.

1.) Software Engineers (in the United States) are highly sought-after and make six figures with a few years of experience. Not many jobs with a BS have that privilege.

It's clearly not the case worldwide.

2.) You're wrong about the Model T. Henry Ford's patents have expired. There were over 150. Those designs lawfully belong to the world. Thanks for making my argument for me.

*Before* they expired, every car according to your argument would have been a copy cat of a Ford T, which will have made Ford the sole legitimate car maker until his patents expiration. That would have leaded to several decades during which car innovation would have been quite frozen due to lack of incentive for Ford, thanks for competitors blocked by patents.

3.) Apple's behavior doesn't need changing. They are among the best companies in the world, by anyone's measure.

By best, you mean richest, right?
Because you will find that several people don't share your *measure* about Apple.
I clearly don't.
But my measure is not always money, maybe this explain that.

Wan't a great product? Put in the effort.

So Apple devices's copy cats can't be great product, right?
Why fear them, then!? At worst, they make people who can't afford the great but expensive ones to have a fake Apple device, which could make others who can afford the original cost to buy it.

That's the fallacy about lost-sales. People buying an apparently less great product do it for a reason: either they agree about which one is greater but can't afford it (no sale lost here, as it' entirely due to your product price, nothing else) or they disagree about which one is the greatest and find what you call a copy cat product, well, actually greater.
Which will invalidate your assertion that a) only effort can bring a great product or b) copy an already great product is not that effortless (often called improving, but hey, what's in a name).

If Apple fear about Android devices, it's not because they think they're bad products made without much effort copying Apple ones. It's because they think these devices are great too if not greater than theirs own, which hurt its market (= expensive great products).
They could reduce the price to substain sales. Which they did for the iPad families. They also could improve their own device to stay ahead of competition. Which they don't.

Want steady sales of a once great product? Put in the effort to make the greatest product.
Works both way.

Edited 2012-07-05 15:32 UTC

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