Yup. The quasi-official policy at some places I've worked is that engineers are ... | Hacker News

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Sindisil on May 16, 2011 | parent | context | favorite | on: Poll: Do you support software patents?

Yup. The quasi-official policy at some places I've worked is that engineers are not to browse the patent database, for exactly that reason.

Ironic, given one of the original primary reasons for the patent system.

coffeeaddicted on May 16, 2011 [–]

I'm not sure if that really lowers your overall risk. Finding out afterward that you accidentally broke some patent which you could have avoided easily isn't necessarily better even if you don't have to pay treble damages.

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