[Red Moon]

Another way to look at it:

At the end of the day progress comes from copying one idea and adding something to it after you understand the idea.

It is what we all do from the moment we are born and we go through the education system. We are taught ideas and then we apply them to life. Over time we add to those ideas and make them our own and pass them on.

As the ideas travel from one generation to the next they become more refined and more developed and the originator of the idea becomes irrelevant.

This is a natural process that has taken us to where we are today.

However there is one thing that speed up the development process and that is competition. Look at the aircraft at the start of any of the world wars and then look at them again at the end of the conflict and see the difference. The rate of development was massive. Take away the war (the competition) and the rate of development becomes sedate.

Even if Apple have a point abut the patents, stifling competition means that Apple no longer need innovate at the same rate and even Apple customers will lose out.