Are IT and software industry getting more and more litigious?

Question

The last couple of years I've been observing an exponential growth in the news related IT companies and individuals taking their cases to court, on one side, and the questions concerning legal matters everywhere on the web, on the other side.

I very much doubt people and companies have suddenly started stealing each other's ideas, but something is different. Is it that:

1) IT people on average are getting more legally-educated?

2) Some changes in legal systems of various countries I have missed are causing that phenomenon?

3) IT is now being perceived as the source of potentially unlimited revenue and the trolls and lawyers have turned its attention to it?

4) Any other development in place?

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The first part of my question is how should an average developer react to this perturbing trend:

a) Continue on as before and ignore everything legal

b) Educate themselves in local and international laws related to IT

c) Always get a professional legal advice before venturing to do anything programming related

d) For any kind of project register an LLC to protect himself even for the most basic and harmless projects

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A second part is a bigger one: how does this all affect IT companies and start-ups:

e) Is any new company at potential risk? If so, is this risk local like in US with all of its software patents or global?

f) Can any new company survive without getting lawyers from the start and applying for all possible patents?

g) Is it a risk factor for the registration of a new company to choose a location which supports software patents in its legal code?

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I admit my question is complex but the matter at hand is even more complex. If you see any restructuring potential, it'd be welcome.

I'm also seeking any input either global or related to local markets. We'll figure out the common ground from particular cases.