1.	We've had an excellent exploration of the Web patent issue on Scripting News over the weekend. If you're interested in understanding where I'm coming from, as a software developer and innovator, read this piece I wrote on Saturday:
2.	http://scriptingnews.userland.com/stories/storyReader$374
3.	It's a bit rambly, but makes a key point. I don't want lawyers to run my development team, and I don't want to compete against teams of lawyers. I love the competitive environment we have, it's how I learn and grow, and how my users and customers get new features, and why we strive to offer faster servers and more reliable systems, and respond to users' feature requests.
4.	We know that if we don't keep moving, because our customers have choices, we will lose. That's how the technology market has always worked, and how it should continue to work. It's how users are guaranteed that if I fail to innovate they will have choice. The patent system, as it's currently implemented by the USPTO is threatening that system.
5.	Patents are a divisive issue among technology insiders, but it shouldn't be divisive for users. The users have a clear interest in diversity. It's time to think, because if we keep going on the same course, things are going to change, imho, for the worse.