I would point to the current HTML5 video element debacle:<p><a href="http://lists.whatwg.org/htdig.cgi/whatwg-whatwg.org/2009-June/020620.html" rel="nofollow">http://lists.whatwg.org/htdig.cgi/whatwg-whatwg.org/2009-Jun...</a><p>Patents are playing a large role in ensuring that what could be a wonderful thing for the web will almost certainly not be.