Am I the only one who thinks that capitalism in the electronics and computing industry, does stimulate competitive pricing (benefiting the consumer), but also is responsible for stifling innovation (beneficial to none)? In any other industry, competition always breeds better products for better prices, or else one will always come out on top and prosper. In the computing world, it seems that competition just breeds patent wars on processes, which does little to stimulate growth of the market, which in turn would lead to more competition, which would ultimately benefit us, the consumer.
Metaphor time:
Car companies, founded on internal combustion, developed efficiency, power battles, safety, reliability. Patented designs of similar features, allows innovation to develop new methods of achieving more efficiency, power, safety, reliability.
Computing companies, founded on rudimentary electrical processes, developed architectures, processes, methods of code. Patented these codes, architectures, processes. Leads to what? Nothing. It is dead, right there. Makes little sense. Almost like if Ford decided to patent internal combustion and steering.
I hope I am wrong, but that is how it looks through my eyes.