Let Maya Speak For Herself • Hacker News Board

Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself

#31

Post by Semaphor » Tue, Jun 19, 2012, 4:04 PM UTC

droithomme wrote: post #29

The app they are running is in fact a near clone of an app sold by a company who personally trained the authors of the clone. The app does use patented technologies. So from a legal standpoint, there is little chance this app and its company will survive the suit. One possibility for successful defense would be software patent law unexpectedly collapsing during litigation due to a surprise ruling by SCOTUS on some ot…

> 2. Purchase the multi-thousand dollar version on custom hardware published by the plaintiff. (Presumably insurance companies normally pay for this option.)

The family met with a salesman for the "original" software. It didn't work for Maya. It's mentioned in the 2nd blog entry about this.

Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself

#32

Post by VikingCoder » Tue, Jun 19, 2012, 4:18 PM UTC

droithomme wrote: post #29

The app they are running is in fact a near clone of an app sold by a company who personally trained the authors of the clone. The app does use patented technologies. So from a legal standpoint, there is little chance this app and its company will survive the suit. One possibility for successful defense would be software patent law unexpectedly collapsing during litigation due to a surprise ruling by SCOTUS on some ot…

5. Some kind person writes a step-by-step tutorial on how to develop an app LIKE THIS... And the family writes their own app, and uploads it to their own iPad / Android Tablet.

If it's an academic article explaining HOW to do something, I don't think they're breaking any laws, just writing and publishing that article.

If I make something for my own personal use, which violates a patent, I'm on legally shaky ground, but who is going to know?

Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself

#33

Post by VikingCoder » Tue, Jun 19, 2012, 4:22 PM UTC

its_so_on wrote: post #15

wseymour wrote: post #6

2689 votes at the time of writing. If everybody donated a dollar instead of a signature, there'd be an app available on another platform by now.

if you can create a life-changing app that is worth this much to this many people, and can do it for $2689 all-told, I'd like to get in touch with you.

Creating the app is apparently not the challenge.

Defending it against patent suits is apparently the challenge.

Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself

#34

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jun 19, 2012, 4:48 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself

#35

Post by billpg » Tue, Jun 19, 2012, 4:59 PM UTC

I wonder what the patent is for? Back in the 80s, I remember playing with some software which had a command-line interface. You could type "*SAY Hello" and "Hello" would come out of the speakers.

http://bbc.nvg.org/doc/Speech.html

Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself

#36

Post by thirtyseven » Tue, Jun 19, 2012, 5:22 PM UTC

droithomme wrote: post #29

The app they are running is in fact a near clone of an app sold by a company who personally trained the authors of the clone. The app does use patented technologies. So from a legal standpoint, there is little chance this app and its company will survive the suit. One possibility for successful defense would be software patent law unexpectedly collapsing during litigation due to a surprise ruling by SCOTUS on some ot…

Regarding #1, what happens when the iPad battery inevitably dies in a few years?

Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself

#37

Post by Splines » Tue, Jun 19, 2012, 5:33 PM UTC

drcube wrote: post #27

myko wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They haven't let that happen, but they're worried about future updates, etc. FTA: > At the moment, we still have the app. But we are now shadowed by a huge, impending threat. With the removal of Speak for Yourself from the iTunes store, the SfY team has lost the ability to send out updates or repairs to the people who are currently using the app. At this point, an update from Apple to the iPad's operating system coul…

I know, that's my point. I don't have an iPad, but can't you turn off updates? Can't you turn off networking entirely? If so, how would an update even occur? Don't just sit there in fear of an update, prevent it .

I think the larger issue is that any iPads purchased in the future may not be compatible with this software.

Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself

#38

Post by jheriko » Tue, Jun 19, 2012, 5:33 PM UTC

it is a shame this sort of software is not just free to begin with... i know people making it must make a living, but ideally this sort of thing would be freely available. imo charging for this software is as ethically questionable as blocking access to it - from a certain point of view they are identical actions.

its also a shame that the ios platform is the way it is but apple have the right to exercise their freedom.

Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself

#39

Post by carb » Tue, Jun 19, 2012, 5:53 PM UTC

Am I the only person that sees a huge 999999px tall red block whenever I visit any change.org site? It's like someone added another tag with ridiculous properties.

Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself

#40

Post by mcteapot » Tue, Jun 19, 2012, 5:58 PM UTC

droithomme wrote: post #29

The app they are running is in fact a near clone of an app sold by a company who personally trained the authors of the clone. The app does use patented technologies. So from a legal standpoint, there is little chance this app and its company will survive the suit. One possibility for successful defense would be software patent law unexpectedly collapsing during litigation due to a surprise ruling by SCOTUS on some ot…

What is some one was to create an open-source version of the app and release the code. There is nothing to stop the parents from acquiring a developers licence and running the app on there hardware. Is there any chance of a project of this nature getting shutdown?

Also what is the patent in dispute? If it is a UI issue, it would be interesting to come up with an alternate UX/UI interface.