4 ms·
Anyone really believes this is not coordinated with Microsoft? So the next phase will be when e.g. Wozniak put up a software patent company and sues Microsoft,
by berntb 16y ago
Anyone really believes this is not coordinated with Microsoft?
So the next phase will be when e.g. Wozniak put up a software patent company and sues Microsoft, Google and Nokia? And then some investors in Google will finance a patent troll company which...
Patent Armageddon, here we come. :-(
- Devilboy 16y agoPatent Armageddon is a GOOD thing!
- sorbus 16y agoIf you object to software patents, then it's a good thing - but only when it's over. During Patent Armageddon, software is going to suck. There will be injunctions on the import and sale of all sorts of products (read: you won't be able to buy shiny new technology, or perhaps even old technology), technological progress will slow down, and being a start up will suck because it will be incredibly beneficial for companies to sue start-ups to build up precedent for their patents. (Note that if this doesn't happen - if there isn't an epic battle over patents - it isn't Armageddon, it's just an apocalypse, being the wide-spread revelation that software patents are horrible things). Yes, there will be reform, probably large-scale reform. However, it won't come until things get rather bad.
- CamperBob 16y agoPatent Armageddon already happened, back in the days when radio technology was being developed at a pace that makes the software industry's progress look slow and boring. The lawyers won, as usual. They'll win this time, too.
- bretpiatt 16y agoPutting my tinfoil hat on an Android injunction next year would do wonders to help Windows Phone 7 gain market share.
- pierrefar 16y agoI did note that MS is not listed as one of the defendants.Odd as I'm sure a cursory look would find an infringement of some sort.
- sp332 16y agoAllen has already got his money from Microsoft :-)
- pierrefar 16y agoMS is sitting on a few tens of billions of dollars in cash. How cynical do you need to be to think this pile is off limits for patent trolls?
- sp332 16y agoThis isn't a random patent troll, this is Paul Allen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Allen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Allen , co-founder of Microsoft. If you're still feeling cynical, you can think of it this way: MS has enough dirt on Allen from his years there to bring him down if he threatens them :-)
- pierrefar 16y agoI know who's involved. Your point about dirt is very valid - I didn't think of it because a patent troll crosses a line after which he doesn't value friends.
- cookiecaper 16y agoNot to mention Allen still probably owns a large amount of Microsoft stock, which would probably not respond well to major patent litigation, especially if MS lost and had to not only pay out damages but re-implement in a non-infringing way.
- Athtar 16y agoEven if MS did infringe on something, why would you sue the company you founded?