Copyrights and patents protect the little guy as much as they protect big corporations.
I am somewhat skeptical of that, but especially in regards to patents.
Many companies build patent porfolios out of a desire for ptoection, but only from other patent holders suing them as a large patent portfolio would likely permit them to counter-sue any practicing entity (read: anything other than a dedicated patent-troll). Others build up the portfolios of patents just to show value to potential purchasers. They generally do not actually provide protection for real R&D (and often don't represent an investment in it).
To very briefly summarize (and perhaps oversimplify): Even if patents can be good in the modern era, it is very easy to use them in bad ways, and they often are used in bad ways.
I am somewhat skeptical of that, but especially in regards to patents.
Many companies build patent porfolios out of a desire for ptoection, but only from other patent holders suing them as a large patent portfolio would likely permit them to counter-sue any practicing entity (read: anything other than a dedicated patent-troll). Others build up the portfolios of patents just to show value to potential purchasers. They generally do not actually provide protection for real R&D (and often don't represent an investment in it).
Paul Graham touches on this at: http://www.paulgraham.com/patentpledge.html and at http://www.paulgraham.com/softwarepatents.html
To very briefly summarize (and perhaps oversimplify): Even if patents can be good in the modern era, it is very easy to use them in bad ways, and they often are used in bad ways.