4 ms·

(Posting from a throwaway account) These asshats threatened to sue the company I work for. We ended up removing the "offending" technology from our site because

by anonqwe 16y ago

(Posting from a throwaway account) These asshats threatened to sue the company I work for. We ended up removing the "offending" technology from our site because we were not going to pay their ridiculous licensing fee and we could not afford fighting them in court. I spent three days removing code that made our site easier to use. It was depressing.

jcromartie 16y ago
I really wonder: do they have any power over people except for fear? What if you just say "go screw yourselves." And leave it at that? Would there be serious consequences?
- techtalsky 16y ago
  Yes. They can sue. And if you just don't show up they can get a summary judgement against you. If you show up without a lawyer their lawyer can make you look unprepared. And if you show up WITH a lawyer then you have to pay a lot of money for the lawyer.
- jacquesm 16y ago
  I did that to 'acacia', they took a walk when they found out that I could probably invalidate their patent. (and I probably really could, and would). It's like the mafia, they like to pick on the weak, the slightly stronger they'll go after in court if they think they can win. But they're cowards at heart and they will avoid a confrontation if the other party might damage them. And if the stakes are high enough and they've been successful in the past with their shakedown they'll sue big companies that are not going to be able to invalidate their patent directly (that's what's happening here, after all Novartis is not exactly a software development company, even though they have plenty of IT). Think about all the parties you could sue if you had a patent on the hyperlink.
  - Natsu 16y ago
    > I did that to 'acacia', they took a walk when they found out that I could probably invalidate their patent. (and I probably really could, and would). I'd have looked up whoever else they were suing and maybe quietly passed along a tip about where to find prior art.
    - jacquesm 16y ago
      I did that a few times already. I have a nice fat file for people that are in that position and that contact me.

by anonqwe 16y ago

jcromartie 16y ago

I really wonder: do they have any power over people except for fear? What if you just say "go screw yourselves." And leave it at that? Would there be serious consequences?

techtalsky 16y ago
Yes. They can sue. And if you just don't show up they can get a summary judgement against you. If you show up without a lawyer their lawyer can make you look unprepared. And if you show up WITH a lawyer then you have to pay a lot of money for the lawyer.
jacquesm 16y ago
I did that to 'acacia', they took a walk when they found out that I could probably invalidate their patent. (and I probably really could, and would). It's like the mafia, they like to pick on the weak, the slightly stronger they'll go after in court if they think they can win. But they're cowards at heart and they will avoid a confrontation if the other party might damage them. And if the stakes are high enough and they've been successful in the past with their shakedown they'll sue big companies that are not going to be able to invalidate their patent directly (that's what's happening here, after all Novartis is not exactly a software development company, even though they have plenty of IT). Think about all the parties you could sue if you had a patent on the hyperlink.
- Natsu 16y ago
  > I did that to 'acacia', they took a walk when they found out that I could probably invalidate their patent. (and I probably really could, and would). I'd have looked up whoever else they were suing and maybe quietly passed along a tip about where to find prior art.
  - jacquesm 16y ago
    I did that a few times already. I have a nice fat file for people that are in that position and that contact me.