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Nothing makes me want to become a rackspace customer more than posts like this. I adore integrity.

larrys 13y ago
I'm also a RS customer but how do you see this as "integrity" as opposed to a regular business decision done with the intent to prevent future problems? (Noting also that there is the PR value of spending money this way as your comment proves!)
- dublinben 13y ago
  Countless other companies in their position would pay the settlement and sign an NDA. We can never know the extent of this problem unless companies like RackSpace speak up.
  - rayval 13y ago
    Yes, it is also an indicator to me that if I am a RackSpace customer, and other issues come up (could be patents, could be government surveillance, or something else) that will affect me as a developer, Rackspace is more likely to be on my side than against me. Obviously, I expect Rackspace to pursue its own business self-interest, but often there are multiple ways to do that, and not all of them are win-win for both the hosting company and for its customers.
- trhtrsh 13y ago
  For example, they could offer to buy the patent from the current holder, and finance an attack on their competitors. But they chose a higher road.
- jonathanwallace 13y ago
  It may be both. And since Rackspace is loudly publicizing that their actions are based on their beliefs, if they were to ever act contrary to their established brand, they'd lose even more than if they were to do nothing at all.
honzzz 13y ago
Exactly. And I also try to avoid companies that settle. I totally understand why they do it but still... in my eyes it's like supporting terrorism. I feel it's wrong to give terrorists any money even when it's advantageous to your business or even when you are threatened by them.
- feralmoan 13y ago
  That's a fine ideology but when trolls are diverting precious resource and focus away from actual innovation over protracted and expensive legal inventions, settling can be a pragmatic choice for just getting on with life. I'd love to be in RackSpace's position of being able to hammer down these worthless parasites.
  - gknoy 13y ago
    Once you settle, other trolls see you as a target. Kipling's Dane-Geld [1] explains this pretty well. "Getting on with life" is not something that paying extortionate patent settlements will always allow you to do. By spending more resources to not only defend themselves, but also destroy the weapon that the patent troll is using, Rackspace is advertising that not only do other trolls risk spending money in court, but they also risk the invalidation of their patents. Anyone trolling is unlikely to want to risk that. 1: http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/dane_geld.html http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/dane_geld.html
- hkmurakami 13y ago
  IMO it's more like "negotiating with terrorists" than outright support (which is bad enough). The psychology/poli-sci experts have agreed on "don't negotiate terrorists" for a reason, and I think that attitude applies perfectly in this patent troll situation.

I'm also a RS customer but how do you see this as "integrity" as opposed to a regular business decision done with the intent to prevent future problems? (Noting also that there is the PR value of spending money this way as your comment proves!)

dublinben 13y ago
Countless other companies in their position would pay the settlement and sign an NDA. We can never know the extent of this problem unless companies like RackSpace speak up.
- rayval 13y ago
  Yes, it is also an indicator to me that if I am a RackSpace customer, and other issues come up (could be patents, could be government surveillance, or something else) that will affect me as a developer, Rackspace is more likely to be on my side than against me. Obviously, I expect Rackspace to pursue its own business self-interest, but often there are multiple ways to do that, and not all of them are win-win for both the hosting company and for its customers.
trhtrsh 13y ago
For example, they could offer to buy the patent from the current holder, and finance an attack on their competitors. But they chose a higher road.
jonathanwallace 13y ago
It may be both. And since Rackspace is loudly publicizing that their actions are based on their beliefs, if they were to ever act contrary to their established brand, they'd lose even more than if they were to do nothing at all.

honzzz 13y ago

Exactly. And I also try to avoid companies that settle. I totally understand why they do it but still... in my eyes it's like supporting terrorism. I feel it's wrong to give terrorists any money even when it's advantageous to your business or even when you are threatened by them.

feralmoan 13y ago
That's a fine ideology but when trolls are diverting precious resource and focus away from actual innovation over protracted and expensive legal inventions, settling can be a pragmatic choice for just getting on with life. I'd love to be in RackSpace's position of being able to hammer down these worthless parasites.
- gknoy 13y ago
  Once you settle, other trolls see you as a target. Kipling's Dane-Geld [1] explains this pretty well. "Getting on with life" is not something that paying extortionate patent settlements will always allow you to do. By spending more resources to not only defend themselves, but also destroy the weapon that the patent troll is using, Rackspace is advertising that not only do other trolls risk spending money in court, but they also risk the invalidation of their patents. Anyone trolling is unlikely to want to risk that. 1: http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/dane_geld.html http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/dane_geld.html
hkmurakami 13y ago
IMO it's more like "negotiating with terrorists" than outright support (which is bad enough). The psychology/poli-sci experts have agreed on "don't negotiate terrorists" for a reason, and I think that attitude applies perfectly in this patent troll situation.