Martin Fowler 3/5/2026

Ideological Resistance to Patents, Followed by Reluctant Pragmatism

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The article details the author's ideological opposition to software patents, a firsthand experience with patent aggression, and the pragmatic decision to engage in defensive patenting. It critiques the flawed patent system but argues that for startups and open-source innovators, defensive patents are a necessary tool for survival in an asymmetric legal landscape.

Ideological Resistance to Patents, Followed by Reluctant                Pragmatism

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