Tough in some situations, since the most heinous software and hardware patents cover end-user stuff where what you see is what is patented. Like the bouncy scroll on the iPhone; it's not the algorithm that is patented, but the end-user product.
Your insight is really that it's impossible to write software because everything is patented, not so much because we're not aware of the patents. Anything we're aware of is patented!
It's also strategic to read patents and violate them anyway. The biggest takeaway from Apple v. Samsung was that other phone companies should have violated Apple's patents, and sooner.
Your insight is really that it's impossible to write software because everything is patented, not so much because we're not aware of the patents. Anything we're aware of is patented!
It's also strategic to read patents and violate them anyway. The biggest takeaway from Apple v. Samsung was that other phone companies should have violated Apple's patents, and sooner.