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Apple Wins Patent Ruling As Jury Finds Samsung Infringes

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Re: Apple Wins Patent Ruling As Jury Finds Samsung Infringes

#51

Post by jcdavis »

alberich wrote: post #16

American patent system is weird. Why is it fair for someone to patent "what" you do, what should be fair to patent is "how" you make this thing viable (e.g. the algorithms used, or something like that)? As long as you don't use the mechanisms of your competition, you should be allowed to mimic the features present on other competitors' devices. Considering this, it seems clear that Samsung would lose the dispute anyw…

> you should be allowed to mimic the features present on other competitors' devices.

To play the devil's advocate (as someone who hasn't taken a position on this ruling, but hates software patents in general):

Why? Apple appears to have spent a lot of time and effort on small details. Why does Samsung get to just copy that with far less time and effort invested? With design, the "how" is a crapton of iteration and careful thought. There may or may not be prior art in a lot of these examples (don't know enough to say), but where there isn't, why does Samsung automatically get to copy it for free? If these things are so obvious and trivial, why weren't they doing them before?

Re: Apple Wins Patent Ruling As Jury Finds Samsung Infringes

#52

Post by timdorr »

programminggeek wrote: post #10

This is both unsurprising and somewhat meaningless as there will be an appeals process that will last for months and possibly years. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see that Samsung made their products to look like Apple products. They changed their icon styles and other UI elements away from Android standards to match the Apple style. Some of the things Apple invented and patented on like pinch to zoom an…

I'm actually pretty shocked that the Tab 10.1 was spared from the design charges, especially considering they lost that battle in Germany (and released the Tab 10.1N).

Re: Apple Wins Patent Ruling As Jury Finds Samsung Infringes

#53

Post by shawnee_ »

If Lucy Koh is so intent on protecting the singularity of one corporate interest over what is so obviously good for the general public, she should not be a Federal District Judge. She should still be in private practice.

We need Federal District Judges who are willing to work for the good of consumers, which involves protecting a market where competition can thrive.

Consumers benefit when there is more than one separate branch iterating outward and improving something very basic. A lightweight touchscreen rectangle is about as basic as it gets.

If Apple was a tire company, Lucy Koh just gave it the unearned "right" to patent every kind of tire tread imaginable.

[EDIT] -- Yes, I realize the decision was made by a jury. Firstly: The original case presented to her was a puff of smoke which should never have gone to trial in the first place. Secondly: Fast-tracking this case helped Apple (which had pre-prepared its mountain of baloney paperwork) and very much hurt Samsung (which understandably probably didn't have enough time to scramble and dispute every instance of baloney in the mountain of paperwork). Thirdly: Koh diallowed a key testimony: http://www.droiddog.com/android-blog/2012/08/judge-lucy-koh-... which would have helped the jury make a more informed decision.

Re: Apple Wins Patent Ruling As Jury Finds Samsung Infringes

#54

Post by enraged_camel »

aaronbrethorst wrote: post #29
jballanc wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And yet, that's essentially a rounding error on Apple's bank account balance...

Totally, but not for Samsung. That's almost 10% of their net profit last year. This is going to scare the shit out of every Android handset maker out there.

Which in my opinion is a good thing. Everyone should think twice before blatantly imitating the result of other people's investments and hard work.

Edit: the downvotes do not surprise me. HN has a very anti-Apple slant.

Re: Apple Wins Patent Ruling As Jury Finds Samsung Infringes

#55

Post by waqf »

davej wrote: post #24
barista wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Representative of the general public in US. Won't you say?

Yes. The argument being that for a highly technical issue it should be decided by a panel of experts, not the general public.

You mean, like how patent applications are reviewed by government experts before a patent is granted?

Re: Apple Wins Patent Ruling As Jury Finds Samsung Infringes

#56

Post by scott_meade »

aaronbrethorst wrote: post #2

From: http://live.theverge.com/apple-samsung-verdict-live/ "No across the board. Not a single [patent] proven invalid by Samsung." that's big. edit: "Damages from Apple to Samsung: zero." (edit2: oops, dumb typo)

Don't you mean $1.051 Billion?

Re: Apple Wins Patent Ruling As Jury Finds Samsung Infringes

#57

Post by alecdibble »

bane wrote: post #12
aaronbrethorst wrote: post #2

From: http://live.theverge.com/apple-samsung-verdict-live/ "No across the board. Not a single [patent] proven invalid by Samsung." that's big. edit: "Damages from Apple to Samsung: zero." (edit2: oops, dumb typo)

It's sickening. This case may significantly raise the bar for invalidating nonsense software patents in the future.

Patent reform will most likely have to come out of the legislative process, not the judicial branch.

Re: Apple Wins Patent Ruling As Jury Finds Samsung Infringes

#58

Post by nikic »

shawnee_ wrote: post #53

If Lucy Koh is so intent on protecting the singularity of one corporate interest over what is so obviously good for the general public, she should not be a Federal District Judge. She should still be in private practice. We need Federal District Judges who are willing to work for the good of consumers, which involves protecting a market where competition can thrive. Consumers benefit when there is more than one separ…

I don't think that this is the judges fault. The law (at least to some degree) dictates the decision. If that decision is not good for the general public, then it is the law that needs change. (And we all agree that it does.)

Re: Apple Wins Patent Ruling As Jury Finds Samsung Infringes

#59

Post by benologist »

lazyoaf wrote: post #38
taligent wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's shocking is your complete ignorance of how the legal system works.

I'm aware of how it works, i just don't think there should be a legal dispute for many of the 'patents' here is all.

I agree completely - the only way this trial could have been fair was if the jury shared your opinion instead of forming their own.

Re: Apple Wins Patent Ruling As Jury Finds Samsung Infringes

#60

Post by taligent »

shawnee_ wrote: post #53

If Lucy Koh is so intent on protecting the singularity of one corporate interest over what is so obviously good for the general public, she should not be a Federal District Judge. She should still be in private practice. We need Federal District Judges who are willing to work for the good of consumers, which involves protecting a market where competition can thrive. Consumers benefit when there is more than one separ…

Looking forward to plenty of truly dumb, ignorant comments like this in the future.

You do know that a jury made this decision, right ?

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