i think the simplest and easiest solution to patent reform would be to just scale back the term. 20 years is garbage, i'd say that patents should be granted for a maximum of four years. their purpose is to give innovators a chance to use their invention to build a business, and if you can't build a business in four years you aren't going to. in a fast moving industry like software, the term should be more like 6mo - 1yr.

also, it'd be great to kill licensing of patents. it would turn patents from an IP marketplace to a use-it-or-lose-it incentive for inventors.