3 ms·

I think it's embarrassing for Microsoft to make more from bogus patents than from their own actual product. If I were them I wouldn't try to brag about it in th

I think it's embarrassing for Microsoft to make more from bogus patents than from their own actual product. If I were them I wouldn't try to brag about it in the press. Heck, if I were them I probably wouldn't even do it in the first place. This is why Microsoft have lost their way. Instead of focusing on their own products and innovation, they try to make money through other less honorable means. And sadly it runs deep into Microsoft's corporate culture. Their actions as of late are making me reconsider whether I will want to use any of their new products in the future. They should realize that a lot of those Android users are also potential Microsoft customers for other products of theirs (desktop Windows, Xbox, Office, etc). They shouldn't try to piss them off with stuff like this, by extorting money from other of their favorite companies, especially when the way they do it is highly questionable.

yread 15y ago
> ... bogus patents ... > ... honorable means ... > ... extorting money ... > ... highly questionable Can you specify what do you mean? If the patents aren't valid, Google would surely have them canceled, wouldn't it? If they are valid MS are paid for their hard work or hard work somebody else did and they purchased it. Hardly "questionable".
- lukeschlather 15y ago
  I'm going to assume you're not trolling: Fundamental problem with software patents today: usually it is much cheaper to pay than to invalidate bad patents.
  - brudgers 15y ago
    It is also cheaper to pay than to try to invalidate good patents. The assumption that Microsoft's patents regarding Android are bad is an unsupported premise, and given Microsoft's purchase of Danger and Andy Rubin's close association with Android, their claims are meaningfully plausible on the surface.
dangrossman 15y ago
Why must they be bogus patents? Microsoft isn't a patent troll, they are an actual technology company that produces and sells the tangible results of their patents. Even in the reform models some propose where only the inventors and producers can enforce patents, Microsoft would still have that right.
tychobrahe 15y ago
> This is why Microsoft have lost their way. Instead of focusing on their own products and innovation, they try to make money through other less honorable means. Actually, Microsoft is innovating very much. They probably have one of the best (as modern/stable/useable) development environments and ecosystems. Their research is putting out great code and great products at a very fast pace. Plus, F#, a new-ish language, just entered TIOBE and it's the top functional language. WP7 and Windows 8 are huge leaps forward, and that's a great feat considering they're not copying Apple at all. Hell, most of the time I wish Apple would copy some things from WP7 and Windows 8. Innovation isn't lost at all. It's just that Android isn't the underdog anymore. Microsoft is. I, for one, welcome Microsoft, our new underdog. EDIT: I know meta-posts aren't well regarded here, but why the downvote? I wasn't bashing Microsoft, or Android for that matter, and even provided some opinion as to why Microsoft hasn't ceased innovating (I could go on, btw). By calling it the "underdog" I don't think I'm being offensive, please, sorry about that plea, but I'd like to know...

yread 15y ago

> ... bogus patents ... > ... honorable means ... > ... extorting money ... > ... highly questionable Can you specify what do you mean? If the patents aren't valid, Google would surely have them canceled, wouldn't it? If they are valid MS are paid for their hard work or hard work somebody else did and they purchased it. Hardly "questionable".

lukeschlather 15y ago
I'm going to assume you're not trolling: Fundamental problem with software patents today: usually it is much cheaper to pay than to invalidate bad patents.
- brudgers 15y ago
  It is also cheaper to pay than to try to invalidate good patents. The assumption that Microsoft's patents regarding Android are bad is an unsupported premise, and given Microsoft's purchase of Danger and Andy Rubin's close association with Android, their claims are meaningfully plausible on the surface.

dangrossman 15y ago

Why must they be bogus patents? Microsoft isn't a patent troll, they are an actual technology company that produces and sells the tangible results of their patents. Even in the reform models some propose where only the inventors and producers can enforce patents, Microsoft would still have that right.

tychobrahe 15y ago

> This is why Microsoft have lost their way. Instead of focusing on their own products and innovation, they try to make money through other less honorable means. Actually, Microsoft is innovating very much. They probably have one of the best (as modern/stable/useable) development environments and ecosystems. Their research is putting out great code and great products at a very fast pace. Plus, F#, a new-ish language, just entered TIOBE and it's the top functional language. WP7 and Windows 8 are huge leaps forward, and that's a great feat considering they're not copying Apple at all. Hell, most of the time I wish Apple would copy some things from WP7 and Windows 8. Innovation isn't lost at all. It's just that Android isn't the underdog anymore. Microsoft is. I, for one, welcome Microsoft, our new underdog. EDIT: I know meta-posts aren't well regarded here, but why the downvote? I wasn't bashing Microsoft, or Android for that matter, and even provided some opinion as to why Microsoft hasn't ceased innovating (I could go on, btw). By calling it the "underdog" I don't think I'm being offensive, please, sorry about that plea, but I'd like to know...