Most (and Least) Popular IdeaEsq Articles of 2014

By Stephen B. Schott

In 2014, I published 39 articles. My goal was one a week so I fell short, even counting some lame efforts.

But still, 39 is a good number and based on the analytics, here are the top and bottom three articles from the last year. Please be kind to those bottom three. They need your love, too.

The Top Three IdeaEsq Articles of 2014

Number Three. The Ten Most Important Patent Cases. When I click on blog articles that list “The top five ___” and “Six ways to ___,” I feel dirty. Something about the number in the headline knocks down my ability to resist the link and I just want to see the list. I don’t know why we humans are stupid like this but we are. This was my earliest effort at selling the irresistible drug that is the “number-list” title. I tried to stay away from it over the course of the year but I did do a companion piece later titled The Ten Most Important Trademark Cases. Go ahead and try to resist clicking.

Number Two. Using “Configured to” in Patent Claims. Make no mistake, dear reader: You are a fun bunch and that’s why this article shot up the charts to number two. Go ahead and read up on this now. I promise you’ll be a hit at your New Year’s party.

Number One. Demystifying the Final Office Action: Seven Options for Responding to a USPTO Final Office Action. This article gets more hits than any page on my entire website so clearly it hit a nerve. Hundreds of people find their way here every single week. I’ve written so many more amusing and helpful articles, but you love this one the most. Do me a favor, though–take a look at the dunce brigade below and see if you don’t agree that they are more fun.

The (Unloved) Bottom Three IdeaEsq Articles of 2014

Number three unloved. Schott, PC Sponsors World Cup Contest. Yeah OK, this was blatant self-promotion. But it was the summer of the World Cup and I was excited about soccer. You punished me by not reading it and I thank you for the lesson learned.

Number two unloved. Hot Off the Press: Updates to USPTO Practice. I’m happy this one is so low: It’s down right dull as dull can be. Informative, yes. But the fun factor was lacking. I tried to fool you with “hot off the press” but you saw through my ruse.

Number One, the biggest loser of them all.  Patent Haikus. I’d like to thank my proofer for reading this post but according to Google Analytics, even she didn’t look at it. The good news is that if you Google “patent” and “haiku,” this is the only relevant hit. How can you not love:

subject matter test
machine or transformation
incomplete says Court

It’s gold, people. Solid gold.
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