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Yahoo Crosses The Line

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Re: Yahoo Crosses The Line

#151

Post by moldbug »

monochromatic wrote: post #141
moldbug wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can we bring Hitler into the conversation? No one needs to be "educated" in the intricate and fascinating political and economic power dynamics of the Third Reich to have a valid opinion about Hitler. All they need to know is that Hitler killed the Jews and was evil. Similarly, no one posting here needs to know anything about the technical details of patentology, a subject in which I suspect you're quite expert, to k…

If ridiculous comparisons make you feel better about holding strong opinions on subjects you're ignorant about, then by all means. > The best lack all conviction, while the worst > Are full of passionate intensity.

An analogy is not a comparison. You know that. But lawyers love to play stupid, don't they? It sells in East Texas.

Don't worry, I'm quite aware of the mechanics of our patent system. I also know a lot about Hitler. But I believe it's intellectually permissible for others to condemn Hitler in a sentence - without my extensive training in Hitler Studies.

The worst in this case are not full of passionate intensity. It's their wallets that are full - and their minds which follow the money. If I take a drive in Palo Alto and see a fancy new building, five to one it's yet another branch office of Dewey, Cheatham and Howe.

The only people who support the patent system are those who profit from it. I'm quite sure you're one of them. Hey, everybody's gotta eat - but try not to kill the host, OK?

Re: Yahoo Crosses The Line

#152

Post by shmerl »

viggity wrote: post #6

I really don't like saying this, but here it goes: Don't hate the player, hate the game. We need real, substantive patent reform in this country.

Not really. Those who act unethically bear the responsibility, and saying that since system is broken it's OK to abuse it just doesn't cut it. With that said, of course the system needs to be blamed (and changed) as well.

Re: Yahoo Crosses The Line

#153

Post by nextparadigms »

viggity wrote: post #6

I really don't like saying this, but here it goes: Don't hate the player, hate the game. We need real, substantive patent reform in this country.

They had a choice - not to use those patents they know are worthless, to make money from FB. So yeah, I'm also perfectly fine with hating the player in this case, too.

Re: Yahoo Crosses The Line

#154

Post by shmerl »

wladimir wrote: post #37
guard-of-terra wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They don't have to play this game. Once they dared to: start your hate machine.

It's a chicken-egg problem. The game will only stop once people stop playing it, but people won't stop playing it until the game stops. And you can be sure that companies once they have lots of patents will lobby mercilessly to keep the current "game" in place. Who wants to stop playing when they feel they are winning? Apart from some sudden massive outbreak of sanity, there is no way out.

No, no one forces them to play it. The fact that they play it is a good reason to disrespect them already.

Re: Yahoo Crosses The Line

#155

Post by Tossrock »

moldbug wrote: post #134
monochromatic wrote: post #122

This guy doesn't even mention the claims of the patents in suit, so why should I trust his opinion about their merits? If you don't know how to read a patent, you're absolutely not qualified to make pronouncements like this: > None of them represent unique and new ideas at the time of the filing. I supect they all can be thrown out over prior art if Facebook takes the time and effort to do that. Also, even the articl…

Can we bring Hitler into the conversation? No one needs to be "educated" in the intricate and fascinating political and economic power dynamics of the Third Reich to have a valid opinion about Hitler. All they need to know is that Hitler killed the Jews and was evil. Similarly, no one posting here needs to know anything about the technical details of patentology, a subject in which I suspect you're quite expert, to k…

Are you seriously comparing patents to genocide? Is that really what's happening here? One, get some class. Two, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwins_law

Re: Yahoo Crosses The Line

#156

Post by angersock »

kd5bjo wrote: post #145
viggity wrote: post #6

I really don't like saying this, but here it goes: Don't hate the player, hate the game. We need real, substantive patent reform in this country.

It seems that a lot of people think that we need substantive patent reform, but what I haven't heard is any real proposal except for scrapping the entire system (or possibly just for software). I've put together the basics of a proposal here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3698637 I'm sure that it has a lot of problems, but we need to start having the discussion of how to fix the system, instead of just whether…

I replied to a couple points in your thread.

Long story short, kill patents, kill copyright, keep trademark.

Re: Yahoo Crosses The Line

#157

Post by angersock »

nextparadigms wrote: post #153
viggity wrote: post #6

I really don't like saying this, but here it goes: Don't hate the player, hate the game. We need real, substantive patent reform in this country.

They had a choice - not to use those patents they know are worthless, to make money from FB. So yeah, I'm also perfectly fine with hating the player in this case, too.

It's just business. They have a responsibility to their shareholders.

Re: Yahoo Crosses The Line

#159

Post by angersock »

shmerl wrote: post #152
viggity wrote: post #6

I really don't like saying this, but here it goes: Don't hate the player, hate the game. We need real, substantive patent reform in this country.

Not really. Those who act unethically bear the responsibility, and saying that since system is broken it's OK to abuse it just doesn't cut it. With that said, of course the system needs to be blamed (and changed) as well.

What's unethical about this?

Seriously, where is the moral imperative that says "Thou Shalt Not Patent Troll"?

Re: Yahoo Crosses The Line

#160

Post by angersock »

shmerl wrote: post #154
wladimir wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a chicken-egg problem. The game will only stop once people stop playing it, but people won't stop playing it until the game stops. And you can be sure that companies once they have lots of patents will lobby mercilessly to keep the current "game" in place. Who wants to stop playing when they feel they are winning? Apart from some sudden massive outbreak of sanity, there is no way out.

No, no one forces them to play it. The fact that they play it is a good reason to disrespect them already.

The fact that they play it, and perhaps incidentally help show how fucking stupid the whole system is, is more respectable than armchair quarterbacking.

(and yes, their shareholders and executive force them to play it.)

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