Z:gnu-www-ja-danger-of-software-patents--0f68c8-The =3Ccite=3EEconomist=3C/cite=3E onc/en

The Economist once referred to the patent system as &ldquo;a time-consuming lottery.&rdquo; If you've ever seen publicity for a lottery, you understand how it works: they dwell on the very unlikely probability of winning, and they don't talk about the overwhelming likelihood of losing. In this way, they intentionally and systematically present a biased picture of what's likely to happen to you, without actually lying about any particular fact.