This 200th issue of Managing IP marks 20 years of publication. A lot has changed in that time, and some of the biggest differences are analysed in our cover story. But one thing that remains constant is the value of relevant, timely and informed analysis of IP developments.
In 1990, finding information on IP was hard. Courts and IP offices did not post decisions or statistics; there were no blogs, chatrooms or social networking sites; Google or Wikipedia did not exist; and electronic communication was in its infancy.
Today, by contrast, information is plentiful and finding it is easy. Copies of most laws and recent court judgments can be viewed within seconds by anyone with a wireless gadget and a fast internet connection; patents and trade marks are filed online instantaneously; judges try cases and businesspeople strike deals by videolink. The enormous growth in online commentary and communication has benefited...