Technology Liberation Front - Latest Comments in Software Patents on Everything

Re: Software Patents on Everything

Tel — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 01:19:58 -0000

Remember MUDs? They were games, they had in-game chat, surely there must be prior-art in the 1980 to 1990 decade. Were there MUDs with a "buddy list"? That depends on your definition of "buddy" but certainly there were (and still are) "clans" and other opt-in message groups that are so similar that the difference is only interesting to lawyers (and those suffering under the reign of lawyers).

What is the definition of "console" anyhow? What makes a "console" legally different to any other computer?

(... and by the way, MUDs have been discussed in scientific journals).

Re: Software Patents on Everything

eee_eff — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 10:23:39 -0000

Let's get rid of Software Patents entirely.

They are a giant drag on innovation and progress.

Look at how blackberry was almost shutdown, and how damaged they were by essentially bassless claims.

Instead of injunctions and treble damages, we should have a system of compulsory lisencing, with only actual damages, with court costs in the case of willful infringement.

The excellent recent Supreme Court decision in the ebay case seems to be moving us in that direction...

Re: Software Patents on Everything

Ted — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 17:17:19 -0000

I forgot to mention that defending oneself in a patent infringement case, even if it is based on an invalid patent, costs (on average) between $4 and $10 million dollars. And that's if you win!

Re: Software Patents on Everything

Ted — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 17:15:09 -0000

Striking a patent down, once granted, is a costly and time-consuming process.

Jim Balsillie's congressional testimony showed how a $19 investment in postage stamps by a patent holder can do over $9,000,000 dollars in damage, even when the patents are 100% invalid: http://righttocreate.blogspot.com/2006/04/how-1...

Re: Software Patents on Everything

MikeT — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 16:30:32 -0000

In cases like this, it should be as easy as proving that product X had the feature before the patentee and then the judge is required by law to strike it down. Then the right of appeal should only exist if there are grounds to argue that it was actually valid.

Re: Software Patents on Everything

mmasnick — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 15:46:25 -0000

The problem is that the patent examiners are taught to only look for prior art in prior patents or in scientific journals.

You won't see the actual prior art there, of course.

Re: Software Patents on Everything

MikeT — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 14:16:49 -0000

Quake had this in 1995-1996. Does prior art no longer have legal standing?

Re: Software Patents on Everything

Commons Music — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 12:03:15 -0000

Also, AIM has had gaming features involved with it for years now. Is it that the IM is in the games, rather than the games were in the IM? I dunno, that's fishy...

Re: Software Patents on Everything

Commons Music — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 11:50:16 -0000

This deserves an evaluation from the PTO, certainly.