One engineer said he didn't want any part of it.
The New York Times had a great story as well as interactive features on the intensification of patent wars this weekend. During a major patent offensive, one Apple engineer reportedly said, "I would like to decline to participate."
The engineer explained that he didn’t believe companies should be allowed to own basic software concepts.
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We've seen that those in the know believe that, at best, parts of the patent system are broken and in need of repair. Some folks even think that no patent system could ever work. Many others (including people in the Times story) say that a working patent system is crucial.
Regardless of your take—whether the patent system needs repair or demolotion or, heck, is just fine the way it is—here's a measure of how much it might be either detracting or distracting from creativity, via the Times:
Last year, for the first time, spending by Apple and Google on patent lawsuits and unusually big-dollar patent purchases exceeded spending on research and development of new products, according to public filings.
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Know of any other folks at software or hardware firms embroiled in patent litigation who've asked not to be involved?
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