Be first, be fast, & stay ahead of the competition

Preoccupations elsewhere have rather stalled my efforts on behalf of RE:tie, but I do maintain an ongoing interest in matters IP.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21510198

I know Trevor (if not well enough to call him that probably) a bit, and it's hard not to get caught up with his infectious enthusiasm for 'inventing.

It's also not hard to detect a certain frustration with the words vs. deeds of most of 'them' involved in the IP process... who would not exist but for the 'us' that actually create new ideas out of thin air.

On this new initiative I can only welcome what may make things easier, quicker and one hopes cheaper.

However I stumble here: 

'Under the old system patents had to be registered separately in every country, which made the process cumbersome and substantially more expensive than in the United States.'

My experience with the UK, EU and almost all other systems was pretty painless. It was only when the USPTO got their protectionist mitts on it all that the pear was crafted.

"Mr Baylis said a universal patent system should be introduced and intellectual property theft should be a criminal offence".

I might add a few more caveats to that.

For now I would be hard pressed to go near IP again, preferring to keep my money and invest it in the priorities in my title.