11–20 of 143 posts
As an independent Android developer, I live with the slight fear that one day I'm going to eventually be hit with one of these absurd patent lawsuits. I only program for Android as a hobby aside from my day job as a web programmer. What can an independent/hobbyist developer like myself do when we are eventually challenged with something we can by no means defend ourselves against without loads of money? Reform is needed, soon.
Nothing makes me want to become a rackspace customer more than posts like this. I adore integrity.
(Noting also that there is the PR value of spending money this way as your comment proves!)
Nothing makes me want to become a rackspace customer more than posts like this. I adore integrity.
"IPRs can be risky and costly. We know this IPR will cost us more than the $75,000 that Rotatable wanted to extort from us. But we are not just fighting for us; we are fighting for all the app developers who are also in the line of fire." Clearly the patent system is defective and needs to be fixed radically (or patents entirely eliminated in the software space, which I personally believe is preferable). Nevertheless…
Wondering about a) antitrust issues with that and b) standing to file the IPR from an entity such as an association. (Question, not a statement to which I know the answer.)
"IPRs can be risky and costly. We know this IPR will cost us more than the $75,000 that Rotatable wanted to extort from us. But we are not just fighting for us; we are fighting for all the app developers who are also in the line of fire." Clearly the patent system is defective and needs to be fixed radically (or patents entirely eliminated in the software space, which I personally believe is preferable). Nevertheless…
Wondering about a) antitrust issues with that and b) standing to file the IPR from an entity such as an association. (Question, not a statement to which I know the answer.)
This is supposed to be kept in check by the fact that you can fight a patent.
I think that if you file a patent, sue someone over it, and lose you should be forced to pay 8X the amount you were suing for. That would severely limit who would try.
I also think that patents should only be allowed to be resold twice. This would limit the number of patents which could be used to extort money.
Lastly I think you should only be able to sue for patent infringement if you have a product using the patent currently in the market.
Those 2 simple rules would remove a lot of trolling.
Patent trolls suck. But with out patents there is no incentive for innovation. The issue is not that Patents are bad, it is that you can patent a "unique way to swing on the playground" and be awarded a patent. Patent officer often don't know what they are awarding a patent for. This is supposed to be kept in check by the fact that you can fight a patent. I think that if you file a patent, sue someone over it, and lo…
Patent trolls suck. But with out patents there is no incentive for innovation. The issue is not that Patents are bad, it is that you can patent a "unique way to swing on the playground" and be awarded a patent. Patent officer often don't know what they are awarding a patent for. This is supposed to be kept in check by the fact that you can fight a patent. I think that if you file a patent, sue someone over it, and lo…
Aren't all of the tech companies who are supposedly violating these patents proof that the patents aren't needed for innovation?
Isn't making a better product so you can have a leg up on your competition incentive enough?
I applaud Rackspace for this act of charity to the community, but it should not be necessary. Let's root for Rackspace, but it's more important to fix the system.