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Aaron Greenspan sues Facebook, Sequoia, Andreesen, YC, others

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Re: Aaron Greenspan sues Facebook, Sequoia, Andreesen, YC, others

#101

Post by gojomo »

pedalpete wrote: post #65
ISL wrote: post #48

Perhaps I'm new here, but any chance the title might get 's/Greenspan/Aaron Greenspan/'? I got real confused as to why Alan Greenspan might be suing tech companies...

I agree, it isn't a person suing corporations, it's a corporation suing corporations. Can we have the title changed to "Think Corp"?

But, Aaron Greenspan is synonymous with Think Corporation, which he himself emphasizes in his request to press this claim, as a non-lawyer individual, without the usual (by rule) corporate counsel. Greenspan is the 100% owner, the author of this complaint, and the origin of its offbeat legal reasoning. To leave him and his personality out of the headline, and name the artificial corporate persona instead, would hide the real story.

Re: Aaron Greenspan sues Facebook, Sequoia, Andreesen, YC, others

#102

Post by natrius »

dangrossman wrote: post #92
gridscomputing wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you don't have a way to read a CD-ROM, how do you know that it is "full of files"? Couldn't it be an audio CD?

Probably from the cover sheet attached to the CD. It's a safe assumption he hasn't been served with a mix tape.

It could be a DVD of You Got Served.

Re: Aaron Greenspan sues Facebook, Sequoia, Andreesen, YC, others

#103

Post by tptacek »

redthrowaway wrote: post #96
grellas wrote: post #84

The key to understanding this lawsuit lies in a technical point having nothing to do with the merits of the claims and which appears at pages 35 through 37 of the complaint. In that section, the plaintiff, Think Computer Corporation, "respectfully requests that Civil Local Rule 3-9(b) be retired, or that Plaintiff be exempted from the Rule given its particular ownership [i.e., owned 100% by one individual] and tax st…

Excellent analysis as always, thanks. I was going to facetiously suggest you start billing HN for your services, but I then thought it might be an idea for you to throw a bitcoin address in your profile in case someone feels like sending you a tip.

It's funny, I was thinking literally the exact same thing. I just put some money onto Watsi, and I think I'll keep doing that every time we get 'grellas top-post.

Re: Aaron Greenspan sues Facebook, Sequoia, Andreesen, YC, others

#106

Post by lettergram »

grellas wrote: post #84

The key to understanding this lawsuit lies in a technical point having nothing to do with the merits of the claims and which appears at pages 35 through 37 of the complaint. In that section, the plaintiff, Think Computer Corporation, "respectfully requests that Civil Local Rule 3-9(b) be retired, or that Plaintiff be exempted from the Rule given its particular ownership [i.e., owned 100% by one individual] and tax st…

I think your explanation is excellent, however I disagree on one point:

"I believe Mr. Greenspan is both sincere and passionate about what he believes but what he asserts is really a case to be made to the legislative policy-makers, not to the courts."

The courts are the place where any man should/can make a difference in the country. For example, I can bring forth a lawsuit to fix something I think is wrong and if my claim is justified the justice system can over rule a governor, state house/senate, or if it makes it federal the President. Also I am pretty sure you can not sue a policy maker so this may be his only option.

Re: Aaron Greenspan sues Facebook, Sequoia, Andreesen, YC, others

#107

Post by jstalin »

California's money transmission business statute is quite broad:

2030. (a) A person shall not engage in the business of money transmission in this state, or advertise, solicit, or hold itself out as providing money transmission in this state, unless the person is licensed or exempt from licensure under this division or is an agent of a person licensed or exempt from licensure under this division.

. . .

(m) "Monetary value" means a medium of exchange, whether or not redeemable in money.

(n) "Money" means a medium of exchange that is authorized or adopted by the United States or a foreign government. The term includes a monetary unit of account established by an intergovernmental organization or by agreement between two or more governments.

(o) "Money transmission" means any of the following: (1) Selling or issuing payment instruments. (2) Selling or issuing stored value. (3) Receiving money for transmission.

. . .

(v) "Stored value" means monetary value representing a claim against the issuer that is stored on an electronic or digital medium and evidenced by an electronic or digital record, and that is intended and accepted for use as a means of redemption for money or monetary value or payment for goods or services. The term does not include a credit card voucher, letter of credit, or any stored value that is only redeemable by the issuer for goods or services provided by the issuer or its affiliate, except to the extent required by applicable law to be redeemable in cash for its cash value.

-------

This appears broad enough to include Facebook Credits, bitcoins, etc.

Re: Aaron Greenspan sues Facebook, Sequoia, Andreesen, YC, others

#108

Post by michaelochurch »

I can't speak on the legal merits of the case, but this does seem like a direct hit (that, it sounds like, won't work) on VC-istan.

They should start giving him EIR offers. He's earned it several times over. That might be the best way to make everyone happy.

Re: Aaron Greenspan sues Facebook, Sequoia, Andreesen, YC, others

#109

Post by darkarmani »

SurfScore wrote: post #31
rdl wrote: post #24

I wonder if HN user thinkcomp (i.e. Aaron Greenspan) is willing/able to comment here. It would be interesting to know his motivations for doing this.

Probably legal reasons why he won't. Most companies make it a policy not to comment on ongoing litigation. Usually nothing good comes of it. Although there are exceptions...

> Most companies make it a policy not to comment on ongoing litigation. Usually nothing good comes of it. Although there are exceptions...

This might be the only case where the only good that could possibly come of it would be to comment.

Re: Aaron Greenspan sues Facebook, Sequoia, Andreesen, YC, others

#110

Post by chc »

mkbrody wrote: post #89
grellas wrote: post #84

The key to understanding this lawsuit lies in a technical point having nothing to do with the merits of the claims and which appears at pages 35 through 37 of the complaint. In that section, the plaintiff, Think Computer Corporation, "respectfully requests that Civil Local Rule 3-9(b) be retired, or that Plaintiff be exempted from the Rule given its particular ownership [i.e., owned 100% by one individual] and tax st…

Great synopsis. However, maybe this is more of a publicity stunt? He probably knows the case isn't going to work out in his favor, but perhaps he thinks the headlines will.

Aaron has been banging on about this for a long time — you can check his posting history here if you doubt his integrity. I think he really does sincerely believe these companies are doing something against the rules and hopes to get a ruling on the matter, either forcing them to follow the rules or creating an explicit exemption that Aaron can use for his own company.
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