Patent trolls and the end of conventional intellectual property

Have you read lately about “patent trolls” (companies that make their living by doing nothing, just sitting on a few juicy patents)? Or the battles between Apple and Samsung, Google and Microsoft, to win ownership of treasure troves of patents, avoid long and costly legal battles about patent rights… Or the billions of dollars earned by lawyers in the field of patents in the gigantic battles that are ongoing?

patent troll in action
patent troll in action

For those of you that would like to learn a bit more about patent trolls, here is the transcript of an investigation of the broadcast “this american life” about “when patents attack”. It is bit long, but quite fun and enlightening.

In the Fourth Revolution Book, we relate how similar situations arose at the onset of revolutionary inventions, like how the patent for automobile was unduly exploited by Mr Selden who made a living by selling expensive licenses for building automobiles. That, until a certain Mr Ford just went ahead and filed lawsuit after lawsuit against him…

So, the current situation is not entirely new.

First, it confirms that something is happening that is revolutionary, in rupture with the usual slow improvement that is best suited for our intellectual property regime.

Still, it shows that the patent regime currently acts against public good, instead of acting in favor. Apple does not really need patents to be the largest market capitalization in the US. This time, the patents conundrum might become so problematic that a complete revamping of intellectual property might ensue. We can’t afford any more to give an exclusive right to an idea for 20 years in particular if this idea is vague or general. Resistance against changing the law will come primarily from lawyers, not consumers or companies. But change is inevitable. Because ideas are now produced collectively, and competitive advantage is based on speed of execution, quality of the product, and not any more on static defense of one’s position.

Which legislator will be bold enough to engage this much-needed change of the intellectual property regime? Shorten the timeframes, ensure that the patents are really specific, that the product described has really been produced, put some limits to the monopoly situation that ensues… such are the directions for a change.

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Answer to the quiz: the flaw of hourly analysis of social network

Last week’s quiz was about the deep flaw of any kind of hourly analysis of social networks

The right answer was: because of cheap long distance communication, the entire world – all time zones – is potentially participating to our conversation.

So, time does not have any meaning any more, beyond our circle of friends living in the same time zone.

Based in Asia, I am participating to conversations in Europe and in America. You read this blog and you are most probably more than 5,000 km away.

Time does not matter any more. The sun never sets on our conversations.

Welcome to the Fourth Revolution!

Congrats to Olivier Lareynie for his answer – I am looking for his guest post!

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Video of the month: Gary Hamel on the future of management

In the following video, Gary Hamel, an influential business thinker, tackles the future of management, or how management needs to change to get out of the Industrial Age mindset.

Watch the video: Gary Hamel on “Reinventing the Technology of Human Accomplishment” by following the link (16 min duration).

In the video, Gary explains what is conventional Industrial Age management, where it comes from, and why it is obsolete. Gary also explains what are the characteristics of the Collaborative Age organization. Don’t miss the example of HCL Technologies, an Indian IT company, where employees rate their boss, open a ticket when they are not happy with their boss or HR that get escalated if no satisfying response has been given within 24h, and more!

If you only have 2 min, look at least at this other video from Gary Hamel, “could you imagine a world without bosses?”

To finish let us dwell on this quote from Gary Hamel’s video:

You can’t build an organization which is fit for the future without making it fit for human beings

When do you change your organization to be more human-oriented?

[This video will be added to the Fourth Revolution Resource Center. Visit the Fourth Revolution Resource Center for all videos, book reviews and papers about the Fourth Revolution!]

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Avoid no, but, however – and change your life

One of the greatest piece of advice I found lately comes from Marshall Goldsmith, in his book “what got you here won’t get you there“. I have tried to apply it consistently and it makes a very significant difference in my relationship with people.

Marshall Goldsmith
Marshall Goldsmith

His advice is the following; ban “no”, “but”, and “however” from your language.

Why? Because everytime you use “no”, “but”, and “however”, you’re just basically saying to somebody else that what they just expressed was stupid. That’s put a bit blunt, but that’s reality.

And face it: like everybody, you LOVE using “no”, “but”, and “however”, in fact you probably use it much more often than you think.

So, change to “yes”, “and”, “while”, and be collaborative, for once.

That will change your life.

Try it. Today.

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The thrill of publishing

The picture was taken in Kuala Lumpur International Airport at the end of August by a colleague (I went to check a few days later as I went through the airport, it was real!).

The Fourth Revolution Book in a bookshop
The Fourth Revolution Book in a bookshop

WOW. The Fourth Revolution in a bookshop almost next to ‘The Black Swan’ and other well known books.

I’m waiting to see the sales, but already I know that’s a great step forward. It now really feels like the book is in the public domain. Of course, it has been already for more than two months, but seeing it like that when stepping into the bookshop gives a thrill! It is visible to all the travelers in the airport, and I look forward to see people frankly outside my network reading it.

Deep inside, I know that publishing and distributing the book is just the start, but that’s quite a noticeable step in the right direction.

Why are we so thrilled by publishing? Probably because we let unknown people discover our deep inner thoughts, sharing quality time, intimate time with them. And this reflection of ourselves is probably the most potent personal change factor.

Publishing is a great way to start influencing the world. That’s just what the K.E.E.N. needs to practice doing. Publish to the world in whatever format – blog, comments on other’s blogs, books, interactive e-books or else. Do it, change the world. And change yourself, deeply.

 

(image credit: Hugh Irvine)

 

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Go on Amazon and rate the book: spread the “Fourth Revolution” word!!

Dear readers. I need help. And you have an incredible chance to participate to the Fourth Revolution, and help the word spread at the same time.

By now, you have certainly read the book. Sorry, the Book with a capital B.

(If you have not, you are missing something important, just only understanding the world as it is transformed now. The book is available in all online bookshops and a number of other sources including on Kindle and other e-book formats: see all the places you can get the book on the Fourth Revolution Book page)

So, you can now really participate to the Fourth Revolution, and help me spread the word at the same occasion: Just go on Amazon and write a review of the book!

You can go on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk if you want to write in English, or Amazon.fr if you prefer writing in French (if you really want to write in German you can also go to Amazon.de).

It’s easy: scroll down and in the “customer review” section, create a customer review by clicking on the button “create your own review”… and there you are, contributing to the world!

OK, obviously I would dream to have just only great ratings, but please follow what you really think and be candid about your appreciation of the book. Future readers will appreciate.

You can at any time send me your more detailed feedback or anything you would like to tell me about the book at contact@thefourthrevolution.org

Thanks for spreading the word on the Fourth Revolution!

(PS: to beat your Resistance, so just to it NOW!)

 

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Quiz: why is hourly analysis of social network effectiveness fundamentally flawed?

Referring to the graph shown in the previous post about the hourly re-tweeting, such an analysis is fundamentally flawed, just because of the fundamental assumptions of the Fourth Revolution.

Faithful follower of the Fourth Revolution blog, I give out one guest post in the blog for you – yes, you get to write a post yourself – if you find the right answer withing the next week!

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Social network’s data analysis is overrated

When you start to be interested about social media, you are suddenly overwhelmed by gurus and service providers that provide you with heaps of data. And also promises to enhance dramatically traffic on your site and earn big money!

best time of day for posting
best time of day for posting (over-analysis)

When should one post a blog to optimize its impact? What words should be used to optimize visibility? At what time in the day (!) should something get published? Where should which field be on the front page, in which color, to increase the probability of a click?. And there they go in huge graphical analysis and lengthy discussions.

Funny thing is, most of the examples of outstanding successes of books, blogs or social network references did not start doing all this. They just started delivering great contents and engaged tightly with a group of followers. They continued delivering consistently, over time. Eventually sometime they became mainstream, as the group of followers increased.

Can one really manipulate success? Short term maybe. If you want to build a long term brand, should it be your own or your organization’s, dont’ really bother. Your site, blog needs to be good, not crappy, but do not spend time and energy trying to over-optimize it. Spend instead time delivering great contents and value. Engage emotionally with your followers, give them value.

Change their lives.

It does not matter if you blog at 2am to achieve that.

 

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When to post? A new schedule for the Fourth Revolution Blog

The issue of “when to post” is very active and hugely debated over the internet. There are many data measurements and other theories so as to maximize the effectiveness and the echo of a blog post.

Right now the Fourth Revolution Blog is posting Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evening (Asia time, morning for Europe & America). For the sake of a little experiment I’ll change the schedule to Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings (Asia time), as data seems to show that people have more time on week-ends to dwell in these kind of posts, and write comments.

I just left the last Sunday post on the military be conveniently on September 11, and the new schedule will apply from now on…

What do you think? When do you read the posts? Any issue with the new schedule?

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How the Fourth Revolution changes the military

The Fourth Revolution changes dramatically the military – for a long time the most hierarchical organization.

The military is hierarchical because in the midst of dangerous action there is not time for discussion and the leaders need to be visibly identifiable.

Yet today the military need to become smart in the way they seek to achieve their objectives. Information is key today, and leveraging Collaborative tools is a way to better identify important information. Leveraging on the collaboration of the troops for data acquisition and intelligence is just a way to leverage on the Fourth Revolution.

This interesting speech of General McChrystal on TED about leadership shows clearly the contradictions the military face today between their traditional hierarchical model and the emergence of the Fourth Revolution.

And recently, the USA published a new doctrine about cyberwarfare, getting ready for cyber wars.

The military forces of the Collaborative Age will be organized and operate very differently. And the military will certainly even change deeply as an institution. Are the military ready for such a change? Are they aware of the potential of changing the way they run intelligence and active missions?

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A new media: interactive e-books

The future is in interactive e-books. Watch this e-book demonstration at TED by Mike Matas.

interactive ebook
interactive ebook demonstration

Interactive e-books need the contribution of a production team.

The richness of this media is that a book becomes a door to access the vast amounts of information on the internet. The interaction with the device also leverages our emotions and creates an entirely new interaction with the book.

Still, what makes a book different? In a recent blog, Seth Godin makes the point that a book is the work of a single author. That’s what makes it different from collaborative creations. And even in the Collaborative Age, we need to be able to hear the divergent voices of individuals.

When do you start raising your voice in the world?

 

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A first functional aircraft entirely 3D-printed!

If you are a regular reader of this blog you certainly remember the blog post about 3D printing and how that will change the world – making manufacturing as we know it obsolete. Anything you need will be available through on-demand printing at the corner shop.

The first operational aircraft model printed in 3D
The first operational aircraft model printed in 3D

OK, we’re still a bit far away from that. Still, a milestone was reached during the summer 2011 with the first functional aircraft model that was entirely 3D printed, flying!

More on this feat following this link to a blog post detailing the event and looking at what Boeing is doing in terms of R&D for real commercial aircrafts.

This other blog post is also very englightening as to the current status of progress regarding 3D printing (includes a MUST SEE video from National Geographic).

Traditional engineering and manufacturing  (assembling bits and pieces) are going straight for obsolescence!

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