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| | lpf-pto-submission.txt |
 | | Companies that form the backbone of the software industry: Microsoft, Adobe, Lotus, Novell, Borland, Oracle, and Sybase, have relatively few software patents, while companies that hardly market any software: Hitachi, AT&T, Toshiba, Sharp, and Xerox, have many. |
 | | Most large software companies are by now well aware of the threat that software patents can pose to their business interests, and as a method of protection are attempting to build up "defensive" patent portfolios that can be cross-licensed with other large corporations. |
 | | The effect on large companies is that they will have to incorporate the patent process into their software development process, set up bulky legal divisions, get into the business of cultivating defensive patent suites, and perpetually negotiate royalty payments and settle lawsuits. |
| lpf.ai.mit.edu /Links/prep.ai.mit.edu/lpf-pto-submission.txt (1241 words) |
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