MS and Sony (And Apple) themselves are one part tech companies building salable products, and one part patent trolls. Sum total, the existence of usurious IP laws are, by their management, perceived as at least as beneficial as it is onerous.
Those getting hurt by the trolling, are smaller, potentially innovative, companies without patent war chests. But their hurt is measured in all the things that did not come to market; hence remain unseen, unmarketed, unpaid for, and therefore unable to pay for representation in a political system such as ours.
What Apple wants (And MS and Sony), is to be able to troll others, including former employees, who set up on their own. While preventing others from doing the same to them. Or, even simply have that particular sword hang over anyone who might want to market a product in competition with them, as well as those guys' potential investors.
Those getting hurt by the trolling, are smaller, potentially innovative, companies without patent war chests. But their hurt is measured in all the things that did not come to market; hence remain unseen, unmarketed, unpaid for, and therefore unable to pay for representation in a political system such as ours.
What Apple wants (And MS and Sony), is to be able to troll others, including former employees, who set up on their own. While preventing others from doing the same to them. Or, even simply have that particular sword hang over anyone who might want to market a product in competition with them, as well as those guys' potential investors.