That's a uniquely stupid solution.

I use the same functionality for my photos in Adobe Photoshop Album, but I'd love if that information was available across other applactions. I think that's where it's key. Also if I do a search for files relating to "Jim Smith", I'd get all the e-mails, photos, contact info, etc. Whereas now I'm stuck just seeing only specific information in a single program.

Those ideas would stay secret for who knows how long without the patent system. Are you sure you, as an academic, really want that?

You've never read a patent, have you? In most (almost all?) cases, they are worded in an obscure and roundabout way so that they no longer describe anything usable directly.

Patents are worded vaguely to try to include as many different things as possible (so as to be able to attack the competition) and to prevent anyone from being able to build anything out of them once they do run out.

Patents no longer disclose anything. Doing away with them would cause zero loss of knowledge.

For that matter, look at &@#^# copyrights. The point of copyright is to grant a limited monopoly on certain activities in exchange for insuring the work enters the public domain later. Nowadays, copyright keeps being extended over and over so that /nothing/ enters public domain anymore.

Businesses will twist and abuse ANY system that grants limited monopolies into weapons to crush competition, regardless of the original goal. Remember, they can hire packs of lawyers.

Only workable solution? Do away with laws that grant monopolies entierly, however limited.

-- MG