Patents

The current patent system needs a very serious reform, but any changes need to be thought out carefully. Patents are necessary because they encourage innovation - I would be much less willing to spend my precious time to develop a new technology if I wasn't guaranteed that I would get paid when people use it. The problem is when EVERYTHING is patented. It is important to realize that the new technology you developed is built upon technology others have developed. Hopefully in the future, people will use your new technology to continue to create more technology. Patents discourage this. Short term patents of only a couple years could prove as a possible solution. This would allow the creator to get some money in the beginning, but prevent the halt of innovation.