4 ms·

I was actually quite surprised to read this on HN, I once met Ric Richardson the founder of Uniloc shortly after he sued Microsoft for infringing a similar pate

I was actually quite surprised to read this on HN, I once met Ric Richardson the founder of Uniloc shortly after he sued Microsoft for infringing a similar patent, and I usually laugh at anyone trying to enforce software patents but this time I would take it a lot more seriously.

simonw 14y ago
Why would you take it a lot more seriously?
- DanBC 14y ago
  Because the decision has flip-flopped a few times, but at the moment Microsoft has settled. (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-05/microsoft-settles-fight-over-uniloc-anti-piracy-patent-1-.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-05/microsoft-settles-f...) MS has lawyers, and money, and time, and thus for them to lose is concerning. (Not saying anything about the applicability of this patent to Mojang.)
  - ceejayoz 14y ago
    Defending a patent suit costs millions. Settling may simply have been cheaper, while still giving a big payday to the troll.
    - astrodust 14y ago
      $8 a copy of Minecraft sounds like a fair licensing price. How about that? Okay, thanks!
    - DanBC 14y ago
      They spent millions defending it, the case lasted 8 years.