A million thanks to our readers

A little while ago this afternoon a very special little something happened in the IPKat's life: we welcomed our one millionth visitor to our weblog this year. This is the first time this has happened. Our previous best calendar year for receiving visitors was 2011, when we were very happy to give a little online hospitality to 822,062 visitors. This figure has been passed with nearly two months still to go till the end of the year.  To add to our excitement, this weekend the blog notched up another milestone when its tally of Twitter followers hit the equally arbitrary but no less pleasing 5,000 mark.

All the IPKat (and Merpel) can say -- and all that their blogging team can repeat -- is a giant "thank you" to all our readers, guest bloggers and emeritus Kats, whose insights, comments, criticisms and katpat-earning leads have helped to keep us all on our toes.

Ultimately a weblog is only as good as its readers can let it be, and the tremendous encouragement we have received from our readers (including many other IP bloggers) over the years cannot be underestimated. Such help and support cannot be allowed to go without acknowledgement.

The IPKat would like to take this opportunity to remind readers of this weblog's aims: to explain how IP law works in theory and practice and to show that, while the world's IP systems may have faults for which they are justly criticised, these systems ultimately work as a force for good since they have brought us, and continue to bring us, the fruits of so much technological, cultural and social innovation.

Reminder: there are lots of opportunities for would-be IP bloggers, particularly among those interested in patent litigation, IP finance and writing on topics of interest to solo and small-scale IP practices. You can get some idea of the available options here.