A Letter to Technology Companies Utilizing Patents to Stifle Competitors

Stop it.

Seriously, just stop. All of you are acting like children. Not merely children, but spoiled little selfish brats, and it’s embarrassing to everyone. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Why?

I’ll tell you, and it’s not what you might expect to hear. It isn’t about fanboys or fangirls, theft of intellectual property, laughably vague patents on generic concepts which could feasibly apply to practically anything, jealousy, innovation, or even the almighty dollar. It’s all of these things, yet none of them, for which you should avert your attention to the ground and sheepishly beg our forgiveness.

The first person you should address is Sir Isaac Newton, one of the greatest mathematicians and scientists who helped define our modern world. He once wrote in a letter of his achievements, “If I have seen further it is by standing on ye sholders of Giants.” Without his work, there would be no software to copy.

Then you can turn your attention to Nikola Tesla, whose inventions make mobile communication and electronics possible. Tell him how you’ve patented not clever engineering you’ve created, but shapes and styles, colors and words. Say to his face, how your patents on end results are just as legitimate as his for demonstrated methodology. If he acted as you have, there would be no computers at all.

I could go on, but then this rant would be effectively endless. In your world, there would be no cars, just “Conveyance devices constructed of metal, equipped with an engine capable of turning one or more wheels to provide propulsion in any direction.” That would cover everything from motorcycles to trains, and they’d all owe royalties to whomever had their name on that particular patent.

But why do you even have that patent? It’s because Mr. Tesla made radio possible. It’s because Newton figured out the physics and math to describe and define it in such a way it was repeatable and logically sound. You would have nothing, all of you, without the hundreds and thousands of inventors and designers throughout history who made your existence possible. Yet in your greed, instead of thanking these men and women for their contributions, you claim for yourselves the fruits of their labor. As if it was only through your effort that your ridiculous assertions have merit.

You have no sense of perspective. You’re poisoning the very industry you claim to represent, and it’s reprehensible. The vicious momentum that wrenched us from the industrial revolution to the age of the internet is literally being violated by your frivolous attempts to keep the profits of these advancements for yourselves. You have transformed yourselves from leaders and innovators into pustules upon the technology sector, wretched and cantankerous old men, jealously hoarding the spoils of your endeavors and attacking anyone who dares look upon you.

When time has moved on and your influence finally wanes, you will not be remembered as giants who propelled us forward, but contemptible fonts of greed and avarice that stifled technological progress for decades. Your name will be a curse upon the lips of mankind, and your leaders as whispered threats meant to scare children to behave. You are pathetic and everyone can see it as you righteously assert yourselves over competitors large and small, with no regard for those of us caught in the crossfire who must endure your ignorance.

That is the future and perception you have chosen for yourself. I hope you enjoy your current success, because it shall turn to ashes in your mouth, and evoke only hate from everyone you’ve alienated along the way.