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An Army Is Forming To Battle Patent Trolls
- ireadqrcodes 13y agogo get em. where is the flattr button?
- samspenc 13y agoYeah! Been waiting for this forever. +1.
- HistoryInAction 13y agoI'd certainly like to see EFF on that list, but we've got Business Software Alliance (Microsoft) and Engine Advocacy (Google) on there. No one with strong grassroots ties among startups unfortunately.
- npsimons 13y agoBSA? One of the more prominent backers of SOPA? Are you kidding me? These are the same goons who send threatening letters about EULA violations on their members' (Apple and Microsoft being prominent) behalf. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
- rayiner 13y agoYou're getting the nerd outrage talking points mixed up. This thread is about patent trolling (which the BSA is against), not copyright trolling (which the BSA pioneered).
- andrewflnr 13y agoNo, I think he knows exactly what he's talking about, and just considers copyright and patent trolling to be two sides of the same coin.
- sliverstorm 13y agoSeems OK to me. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and whatnot.
- fnordfnordfnord 13y agoExcept the BSA only wants to end the patent trolling that's done by individuals and small entities. Which won't be distinguishable from small entities defending legitimate patents.
- ivanca 13y agoLegitimate patents can die for all I care. We have a brain too; using it in a particular way before someone else do should give you no advantage. Let the implementation do the fighting.
- fnordfnordfnord 13y ago>Legitimate patents can die for all I care. I've never had much respect for the way patents really work. But I don't expect to see the whole thing razed any time soon.
- mtgx 13y agoDo you really think these guys think the same things we do when we mean "patent reform"? If anything they will make it worse (and better for corporations). They do represent corporations after all. And do you really expect Microsoft to want to "fix" the patent system? They make money out of it.
- bad_user 13y agoSpeaking of Microsoft, aren't they patent trolling Android phone makers like right now? Sure, it depends on your definition of what a patent troll is, but IMHO, a company that failed to innovate for years until Apple and Google did and that makes more money from Android than from its own OS is a patent troll.
- will_brown 13y agoI tried to measure HN interest in Crowd Sourcing challenges to Patent Trolls (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5573778 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5573778). It is very commendable that rackspace is taking this to task on both fronts, individual patent challenges and lobbying efforts to change the law. However, this also has the immediate effect of encouraging trolls to go after the little guys and no longer companies who can afford litigate.
- hollerith 13y agoI always thought that patent holders cannot make money suing the little guys.
- drcube 13y agoBut all they have to do is threaten to sue...
- will_brown 13y agoPatent trolls try to force them to settle for nominal amounts to avoid litigation, one example I heard is a troll sending demands to the end users of copy machines "that scan to email" instead of the manufacturers and retailers. At that point it is a numbers game if they get 1% of end users to pay $1000 it adds up. Now that is some of the more egregious (maybe unlawful) examples but it will become more common. Edit: This is a link to one article about my example (http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/04/meet-the-nice-guy-lawyers-who-want-1000-per-worker-for-using-scanners/ http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/04/meet-the-nice-guy...) it seems the troll went after small business and demanded $1,000/employee using the scan to email function.
- D9u 13y agoI'm with you! I seem to recall a time when "ly'ers" (lawyers) were prohibited from assuming political office... Now they've taken over.
- will_brown 13y agoJust to stick up for my kind a little (lawyers that is), Thomas Jefferson was a 21 year old lawyer when he drafted the Declaration of Independence; good ol' Honest Abe was a lawyer and pushed for the Emancipation Proclamation; and one of my personal favorites is Gandhi. And to stick up for the profession not just a few individuals, when Clinton lied under oath, the only real action taken against him was by his State Bar who immediately disbarred him despite him being President and unlikely to ever practice again. Edit: Jefferson was 33 when he drafted the Declaration of Independence (credit - rqwerwqerwr)
- D9u 13y agoTouche will_brown. Point taken.
- rqwerwqerwr 13y agoIt could also be argued that they did good things in spite of being lawyers. Looked up the thing about Thomas Jefferson drafting the Declaration of Independence at 21 and this is what I found in wikipedia [1]: Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 (April 2, 1743 O.S.) – July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776) Seems like he was in his thirties. Care to correct yourself? [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- rayiner 13y agoWhen and where? In the U.S., 32 of the 55 framers of the Constitution, and 25 of the 56 signers of the declaration of independence, were lawyers.
- M8R-fhlcjm 13y agohmmm, so I looked into this whole Rackspace vs Parallel Iron that this stems from and learned this: 1) Parallel Iron is a company that isn't a shell company but owned by the lead inventor (see U.S. patent 7,958,388) 2) Parallel Iron is the original assignee on the patent 3) According to one source, that inventor waited for 26 months while Rackspace and its mega-firm lawyers dragged out negotiations. This point is harder to confirm - but the dates seem to provide support So I really can't see Rackspace as the victim here. I feel for the inventor who spent the time and effort to work out the details, commercialize it, and then commercialize. When Rackspace copied his technology, they shunned him and wouldn't license - forcing the inventor to no other choice than litigation. Sad, but happens all the time. Apple no less has said they won't listen to any external company/inventor UNTIL they know they are serious with litigation/court action. In the past I am always censored/muted and have never been able to respond for days/weeks until long after the story closes - so sorry I likely won't be able to respond further after this. But hey - it's hacker news board.
- ereckers 13y agoGood. There's nothing that can ruin your day faster than getting a letter in the mail stating that you are in violation of this and that and you could be prosecuted for up to a quarter million dollars.
- piyush_soni 13y agoTighten your seat belts, rotten Apple. :)
- androidb 13y agoit's about time
- hexagonc 13y agoHere's a thought: if we're serious about patent trolling, I mean really serious about it then why not march? I'm talking about demonstrating in front of cityhall with signs and speakers on megaphones. I'm talking about a rally against patent trolling. If potheads can get together for their 420 rallies then why can't we get together in a visible way to express our views? The quote from Howard Beal in the The Network (excellent movie, by the way) was especially apt. We start by designating an official "patent free day", blessed by the EFF and Free Software Foundation. This is the day that we hold our demonstrations. Imagine the sight of hundreds of out of shape engineers demonstrating with their pocket protectors -- they must be serious. I'd do it, at least if it was over the weekend. For me, at least, it would be awkward to do it over a weekday, because the company I work for is big on patents (even though the rally is really against patent trolling and not software patents themselves, although I am against those as well). Do it.
- xradionut 13y agoSee how well OWS did? The banks reformed their ways, gave the ill gotten gains to charity and all is right with the world now... /sarcasm Marching isn't going to change a damn thing when the folks in the IP protection business make 8 figures a year and can buy the government.