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More Patent Nonsense

HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
edited November 2007 in Technology
Microsoft Must Pay $140 Million For Using Multiple Passwords To Activate Its Software.

Not what you might first think from the headline.

Comments

  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    edited November 2007
    The phrase "No one could possibly be stupid enough to do something like that." is almost always a lie.
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • PagePage
    At times like this I always think back to when the term Death was trademarked, though you'll never guess what it meant. (I'll give you a hint, it meant to die!)
  • xenomousexenomouse
    Trademark abuse is actually much less prevalent than patent abuse. There are actually pretty strict rules to which one needs to adhere in order to maintain a trademark. One also needs to use their trademark properly, or else they run the risk of it becoming generic and essentially public domain.

    The way the patent system is currently functions, people or companies can patent something, sit on that patent for years, and then sue the crap out of anyone who has used something similar to that patent and has big pockets.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    I wonder if the RIAA has ever tried getting a patent on distributed downloading.
  • NeitoNeito
    Patent for Podcasting.
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    *facepalm*

    The stupidity will never end.
  • Nine BoomerNine Boomer
    Why do we allow such things to be patented? How does giving a patent for something so wide in use by many people make sense? It does not make sense for a patent to be something that is common knowledge, like say "a method of transferring liquids to the mouth" i.e. a glass, so why the hell are we awarding patents for something so widely known as podcasting?
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    Why do we allow such things to be patented? How does giving a patent for something so wide in use by many people make sense? It does not make sense for a patent to be something that is common knowledge, like say "a method of transferring liquids to the mouth" i.e. a glass, so why the hell are we awarding patents for something so widely known as podcasting?
    Because they don't know it's common knowledge. The current judges didn't grow up with computers, let alone have expertise in software development. If a good lawyer makes a pitch to them that this new technology called "podcasting" should be patented, and there's no one to say "no, that's silly" then they'll likely award. To not award the patent would be hurting private industry and we wouldn't want to do that.
  • 2bfree2bfree
    Podcasters getting threats from patent troll. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/02/podcasting-community-faces-patent-troll-threat-eff-wants-help
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    edited February 2013
    My response to that would be "fuck off, you're insane". Not that I think I'm big enough to be a target for the suit, though.
    Post edited by Victor Frost on
  • GeoGeo
    edited February 2013
    My response to that would be "fuck off, you're insane".
    Post edited by Geo on
  • GeoGeo
    edited February 2013
    doublepost
    Post edited by Geo on
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