Tastatura - 3:05 am on Apr 3, 2009 (gmt 0)

I guess it all depends where agree you sitting. If you have a patent you want ti enforced and to bear fruit from it, if you are developing something new / similar you like to have a less restrictions. :)

I agree that there is some change needed for US patent laws (and perhaps internationally - yes there are differences ). Some allowed patents are downright silly, but that is just my opinion. What Google rep is asking/ petitioning for is a bit overbearing if I understood it correctly. Also these two statements can be viewed as bit contradicting

Current law is being used to hold up companies for huge settlement payments, even when alleged infringements are trivial. Google and countless other American companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year defending and settling frivolous patent lawsuits...

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Google can choose not to defend "small infringements" and save money :)

PTO is backed up, but review process is also based on "quality" or uniqueness of your patent and competency of the reviewer.

At my previous job, patent attorney told us that "patents are not there to enable you to do something, but rather to stop someone else from doing it". Take it as you will :)