8 ms·

If intellectual property (specifically software patents) were weakened, this would be less of a problem, right? Companies don't buy companies, they buy IP, as

If intellectual property (specifically software patents) were weakened, this would be less of a problem, right? Companies don't buy companies, they buy IP, as I understand it.

alberth 4y ago
Consolidation in mature markets inevitably happens.
- nousermane 4y ago
  ...absent functioning antitrust legislation, yes.
  - streblo 4y ago
    Is there an antitrust case to be made here? Antitrust means a lot more than just 'big company'.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
    - nicoburns 4y ago
      You seem to be asking if there is a case within current legislation. Whereas the parent is suggesting that more cases ought to be covered by future stricter legislation (which could at least in principle be as simple as "big company").
      - mc32 4y ago
        So you put a cap in it, what happens, mitosis? I’m not sure it would have that big of an effect. It would certainly help in some areas like search and social networks though.
      - deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
kortilla 4y ago
No, not in the software industry. Nothing VMware has in pure IP is that special. I can’t think of any of the big tech companies that even use VMware. Broadcom is paying for the huge enterprise customer base, sales and support connections, mindshare, and engineering org that has proven adaptable to market demands.
- Octoth0rpe 4y ago
  > I can’t think of any of the big tech companies that even use VMware. I would be shocked if every single 'big' tech company didn't use _some_ vmware product _somewhere_ internally. Their software portfolio is a hell of a lot bigger than just the actual vmware product. Example: where I work we use the vmware product Carbon Black for 'endpoint protection', which as I understand it is virus scanning + some amount of port monitoring.
- ergonaught 4y ago
  You don't have to think, you can just browse their list, filter by industry, and have fun as you will: https://www.vmware.com/company/customers/index.html# https://www.vmware.com/company/customers/index.html#
  - grumple 4y ago
    Note that this is just a tiny subset of companies that use VMWare (those that have writeups). I've worked for some very big companies that used it but aren't listed.
- cagataygurturk 4y ago
  > I can’t think of any of the big tech companies that even use VMware. You are quite wrong…
- davidandgoliath 4y ago
  Uh, except everyone that uses VMWare, which is a massive list.
- scarface74 4y ago
AndrewStephens 4y ago
Maaaaaybe. I am not a fan of software patents but intellectual property laws are the only thing stopping Big Company A from just cloning Small Company B's product. At least now they have to go to the trouble of buying them. Of course, it goes both ways and laws often favor the strong against the weak. But it is not all one-sided.
- netr0ute 4y ago
  > Big Company A from just cloning Small Company B's product That's called competition
- erklik 4y ago
  > intellectual property laws are the only thing stopping Big Company A from just cloning Small Company B's product Is that really the case? Does it work? Isn't Instagram basically cloning TIkTok right now? and cloned Snap before that? Apple with Alfred, Spotlight, F.lux etc are also examples. Seems like for software, either patents aren't utilized or simply can't be enforced.
  - AndrewStephens 4y ago
    Instragram/TikTok/Snap aren't exactly novel ideas, the only valuable thing about them are the brands (also intellectual property but not what we are talking about). I only know VMWare from its days as virtualization software. I would put money on them having had a bunch of patents on the specific techniques they used. Software patents sometimes work out, sometimes not. If I were king of the world I wouldn't get rid of them but narrow the scope down to protecting specific implementations, none of this "Buying stuff of the internet" pantenting that invested the 00s.
- yjftsjthsd-h 4y ago
  Wasn't there a whole thing about big tech companies interviewing small companies as if to acquire them and then just cloning the product anyways?
  - 4y ago

If intellectual property (specifically software patents) were weakened, this would be less of a problem, right? Companies don't buy companies, they buy IP, as I understand it.

alberth 4y ago

Consolidation in mature markets inevitably happens.

nousermane 4y ago
...absent functioning antitrust legislation, yes.
- streblo 4y ago
  Is there an antitrust case to be made here? Antitrust means a lot more than just 'big company'.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - nicoburns 4y ago
    You seem to be asking if there is a case within current legislation. Whereas the parent is suggesting that more cases ought to be covered by future stricter legislation (which could at least in principle be as simple as "big company").
    - mc32 4y ago
      So you put a cap in it, what happens, mitosis? I’m not sure it would have that big of an effect. It would certainly help in some areas like search and social networks though.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]

kortilla 4y ago

No, not in the software industry. Nothing VMware has in pure IP is that special. I can’t think of any of the big tech companies that even use VMware. Broadcom is paying for the huge enterprise customer base, sales and support connections, mindshare, and engineering org that has proven adaptable to market demands.

Octoth0rpe 4y ago
> I can’t think of any of the big tech companies that even use VMware. I would be shocked if every single 'big' tech company didn't use _some_ vmware product _somewhere_ internally. Their software portfolio is a hell of a lot bigger than just the actual vmware product. Example: where I work we use the vmware product Carbon Black for 'endpoint protection', which as I understand it is virus scanning + some amount of port monitoring.
ergonaught 4y ago
You don't have to think, you can just browse their list, filter by industry, and have fun as you will: https://www.vmware.com/company/customers/index.html# https://www.vmware.com/company/customers/index.html#
- grumple 4y ago
  Note that this is just a tiny subset of companies that use VMWare (those that have writeups). I've worked for some very big companies that used it but aren't listed.
cagataygurturk 4y ago
> I can’t think of any of the big tech companies that even use VMware. You are quite wrong…
davidandgoliath 4y ago
Uh, except everyone that uses VMWare, which is a massive list.
scarface74 4y ago

AndrewStephens 4y ago

Maaaaaybe. I am not a fan of software patents but intellectual property laws are the only thing stopping Big Company A from just cloning Small Company B's product. At least now they have to go to the trouble of buying them. Of course, it goes both ways and laws often favor the strong against the weak. But it is not all one-sided.

netr0ute 4y ago
> Big Company A from just cloning Small Company B's product That's called competition
erklik 4y ago
> intellectual property laws are the only thing stopping Big Company A from just cloning Small Company B's product Is that really the case? Does it work? Isn't Instagram basically cloning TIkTok right now? and cloned Snap before that? Apple with Alfred, Spotlight, F.lux etc are also examples. Seems like for software, either patents aren't utilized or simply can't be enforced.
- AndrewStephens 4y ago
  Instragram/TikTok/Snap aren't exactly novel ideas, the only valuable thing about them are the brands (also intellectual property but not what we are talking about). I only know VMWare from its days as virtualization software. I would put money on them having had a bunch of patents on the specific techniques they used. Software patents sometimes work out, sometimes not. If I were king of the world I wouldn't get rid of them but narrow the scope down to protecting specific implementations, none of this "Buying stuff of the internet" pantenting that invested the 00s.
yjftsjthsd-h 4y ago
Wasn't there a whole thing about big tech companies interviewing small companies as if to acquire them and then just cloning the product anyways?
- 4y ago