Do software patents harm innovation more than they help?
Software patents do more harm than good for innovation. I work as a developer and have seen companies waste huge resources on patent litigation instead of building better products, while small startups often can't afford to defend themselves against patent trolls. The original purpose was to protect inventors, but the system now just creates legal barriers that slow down progress, especially in software where ideas build on each other quickly. Should we keep rewarding vague patents that describe common techniques everyone already uses?