4 ms·

"comma isn’t run by rational actors in suits sitting on a committee. It’s run by me, George Hotz. I’m willing to lose $1M before I give him $10k." This stance

"comma isn’t run by rational actors in suits sitting on a committee. It’s run by me, George Hotz. I’m willing to lose $1M before I give him $10k." This stance is admirable but comma.ai is partly owned by investors. Isn't he obliged to find the lowest cost solution to this ? Or is George Hotz planning to spend his personal money on the lawsuit ?

icelancer 4y ago
Not if the investors agree with Hotz. If you invest in a geohot-owned business, you should probably know who you're bankrolling. This type of behavior by him is hardly surprising.
MacsHeadroom 4y ago
comma was profitable pre-investment, so Geohot has a lot of leeway to do what he wants. Besides, there is no fiduciary requirement to handle situations like this in any particular way. Fiduciary duty is to keep the business operating. Maximizing profit and minimizing costs are generally good practices; but they are not (legally) fiduciary duties.
- newsclues 4y ago
  Ignoring other aspects, this is likely a financially viable option for recruitment marketing. I’m guessing this stance will be popular among engineers who will hear about the company and apply for jobs.
- justapassenger 4y ago
  comma was profitable. Geohot is open about them not being anymore, so their leeway situation is much different now. They released new HW, that gives them lower margins and volume didn’t pickup as much as they planned.
tgsovlerkhgsel 4y ago
It's easy to argue that spending $1M on deterrence once is cheaper than paying each patent troll who asks $10k. It's also likely that this post is part of the defense strategy. If you were the patent troll, what would you do at this point - withdraw the claim and try again with an easier victim, or try to find out whether the "if this continues" part is true?
- sometimeshuman 4y ago
  "If you were the patent troll, what would you do at this point ?" If I could get the trial moved to a jurisdiction where I'm friends with a judge, which I recall was part of the strategy, I'd keep trolling. While geohot gets love on a hacker forum like HN, most courts (and people in general) as far as I can tell just assume guilt.
  - KerrAvon 4y ago
    That’s not how patent litigation works. And a small-time troll may not be able to afford to go to trial.
  - bavila 4y ago
    Courts don't appreciate having their time wasted. It's going to be a lot easier for a court to dismiss a frivolous patent troll than to "assume guilt" and go through the absolutely hellish process of extended litigation. (Source: Worked as a litigator for 7 years.)
    - jawns 4y ago
      Pardon my ignorance, but why, then, is East Texas considered a hot-bed for these types of lawsuits? Are the judges there an exception to the rule about not wanting their time wasted?
hedora 4y ago
This is the lowest cost solution. If you pay the troll once, they'll come back over and over again (and so will their friends).
7373737373 4y ago
Are you implying submitting to these greedy fucks is low cost?
- sometimeshuman 4y ago
  Fucks ? It's one fuck, singular, over the past 6 years. There is this idea that an army of trolls are standing in attack formation and will swarm if he gives in this one time. But that claim seems silly. geohot is rich and if he chooses to use those riches to end a stressful event and start sleeping well again, I wouldn't judge him one bit. Personally I'd rather be in the hospital that be in court.

icelancer 4y ago

Not if the investors agree with Hotz. If you invest in a geohot-owned business, you should probably know who you're bankrolling. This type of behavior by him is hardly surprising.

MacsHeadroom 4y ago

comma was profitable pre-investment, so Geohot has a lot of leeway to do what he wants. Besides, there is no fiduciary requirement to handle situations like this in any particular way. Fiduciary duty is to keep the business operating. Maximizing profit and minimizing costs are generally good practices; but they are not (legally) fiduciary duties.

newsclues 4y ago
Ignoring other aspects, this is likely a financially viable option for recruitment marketing. I’m guessing this stance will be popular among engineers who will hear about the company and apply for jobs.
justapassenger 4y ago
comma was profitable. Geohot is open about them not being anymore, so their leeway situation is much different now. They released new HW, that gives them lower margins and volume didn’t pickup as much as they planned.

tgsovlerkhgsel 4y ago

It's easy to argue that spending $1M on deterrence once is cheaper than paying each patent troll who asks $10k. It's also likely that this post is part of the defense strategy. If you were the patent troll, what would you do at this point - withdraw the claim and try again with an easier victim, or try to find out whether the "if this continues" part is true?

sometimeshuman 4y ago
"If you were the patent troll, what would you do at this point ?" If I could get the trial moved to a jurisdiction where I'm friends with a judge, which I recall was part of the strategy, I'd keep trolling. While geohot gets love on a hacker forum like HN, most courts (and people in general) as far as I can tell just assume guilt.
- KerrAvon 4y ago
  That’s not how patent litigation works. And a small-time troll may not be able to afford to go to trial.
- bavila 4y ago
  Courts don't appreciate having their time wasted. It's going to be a lot easier for a court to dismiss a frivolous patent troll than to "assume guilt" and go through the absolutely hellish process of extended litigation. (Source: Worked as a litigator for 7 years.)
  - jawns 4y ago
    Pardon my ignorance, but why, then, is East Texas considered a hot-bed for these types of lawsuits? Are the judges there an exception to the rule about not wanting their time wasted?

hedora 4y ago

This is the lowest cost solution. If you pay the troll once, they'll come back over and over again (and so will their friends).

7373737373 4y ago

Are you implying submitting to these greedy fucks is low cost?

sometimeshuman 4y ago
Fucks ? It's one fuck, singular, over the past 6 years. There is this idea that an army of trolls are standing in attack formation and will swarm if he gives in this one time. But that claim seems silly. geohot is rich and if he chooses to use those riches to end a stressful event and start sleeping well again, I wouldn't judge him one bit. Personally I'd rather be in the hospital that be in court.