Wow. Usually we try to keep things a little more civil here. This filing fee is the smallest portion of what you need to pay in order to file a patent. First, you need to get a patent attorney to help you put your filing together. I don't know what lawyers you use, but this can typically run more than $15k and up to do it right.
Edit: Since I don't seem to be able to reply to your comment, thank you for your sort of apology. You can read at length about this particular bill here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_Invents_Act. It's not all sunshine and equivalencies.
Perhaps we can have a discussion about it some time, but as someone who has both been in startups that have pursued patents and been in a company sued by a patent troll, you're just going to have to accept that we have different views on the issue.
Sorry, not really trying to be a dick. But your article reads like you're trying to stir up the (already considerable) patent hatred around here, without really understanding the issues.
And yes, I know the filing fee is insubstantial compared to the legal fees. The point was that you should know that too, if you're expounding on patent law and policy.
Edit: Since I don't seem to be able to reply to your comment, thank you for your sort of apology. You can read at length about this particular bill here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_Invents_Act. It's not all sunshine and equivalencies.
Perhaps we can have a discussion about it some time, but as someone who has both been in startups that have pursued patents and been in a company sued by a patent troll, you're just going to have to accept that we have different views on the issue.