Cost barrier to market entry

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

Studies

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

External links

• Akamai attacks Limewire 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