Cost barrier to market entry

(For how patents are used as a barrier to protect a specific company, see Blocks competing software, reducing choice)

Software patents prevent competition and entrench monopolies, thus hurting consumers and preventing the proper functioning of the software market.

Supporting evidence

• Network competition through regulation
• The EuroLinux petition - 435,000 signatures against the harm of software patents to competition and innovation

Related pages on ESP Wiki

• Cost of getting patents
• Costs are astronomically disproportionate for SMEs and individuals
• Software distributors paying Microsoft patent tax
• Blocks competing software, reducing choice
• Used for sabotage rather than competition

External links

• Akamai attacks Limelight as well as other competitors
• Japan's 2nd most used word processor taken off the market in 2005:
  • TechDirt: Help Function Patent In Japan Means All Copies Of Word Processor Get Destroyed, Feb 2005
  • ComputerWorld: Tokyo court orders popular word processor off market, Feb 2005