[fzltrp]

> Playing Devil's advocate

Actually you raise a good point. ARM has been always doing that though, they built their own cpus when they started, iirc. That would have large consequences on their current business model, it's true.

> And if not, what would prevent NPEs from licensing to one small company and then suing everyone else?

It's already happening. When one of those company win a lawsuit, it is usually followed by them selling a license to whomever they sued...

Which is the lesser evil? Forcing patent holders into producing practical implementation of their patents, or allowing NPEs to exist?

I guess my idea doesn't really hold waters. Most probably smarter people already have thought about that possibility and saw the issues you hinted at. Oh well.