"...the International Trade Commission, which protects US markets from unfair trade practices."

Because goodness knows they need all the protectionism^H^H^H they can get!

Ref: "International Trade Commission, which protects US markets from unfair trade practices"

So, who protects the world from the unfair trade practices of the US markets? The US market/companies are the most abusive around so who protects us from them?

"The patents in question relate to the way in which a mouse auto detects between PS/2 and USB"

And apart from that injects horizontal scroll commands when the wheel is pressed sideways. Where's the innovation ? I guess this illustrates Microsoft forward facing policy, as a patent troll. Beats trying to flog product in the market place ...

"Input device including a wheel assembly for scrolling an image in multiple directions"

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6700564/claims.html

a company should lose all rights to legal action against any competitors !

a company should lose all rights to legal action against any competitors .

Then why should said company respect any ones patents. Inf fact why should they respect the law since you just deemed the law does not apply to them when they have have been injured ?? You have just set up situation were the company is out side the law , so why should they work with it ??