How to slaughter a patent troll in 5 steps • Hacker News Board

Re: How to slaughter a patent troll in 5 steps

#31

Post by girvo » Sat, Jul 27, 2013, 9:30 AM UTC

WildUtah wrote: post #28

noonespecial wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's what I came to post. Step 6 seems to be "have a million dollars".

It's not exactly "have a million dollars." The read sixth step is "have a million dollars you don't mind spending without getting anything back for it." If you win a patent suit, you don't win anything. You're just out a million or two dollars for nothing. And it means the patent troll has to look through his portfolio to find another one to use for the next time he decides to blackmail you.

The game theoretical approach to patent trolls makes an unfortunate amount of sense, but I wish that wasn't the case.

Re: How to slaughter a patent troll in 5 steps

#32

Post by nl » Sat, Jul 27, 2013, 9:45 AM UTC

jackschultz wrote: post #2

Besides generic software patents, the oddest one I've seen is being able to patent a color. Since Nike has the patent on the color "Maize", Adidas had to come up with a new color for Michigan athletics. Also, I'm not sure how prevalent it is, but there may be an opportunity for a business of being the go to firm for fighting these trolls. Like the article said, being familiar with the companies and the process makes…

Nike doesn't have a patent on the color Maize.

Many companies have trademarked colors.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colour_trademark and http://au.businessinsider.com/colors-that-are-trademarked-20...

Re: How to slaughter a patent troll in 5 steps

#33

Post by spiritplumber » Sat, Jul 27, 2013, 9:55 AM UTC

Ease of slaughtering is well and dandy, but are patent trolls tasty? Can the meat be cured or smoked? What's the caloric intake and fat percentage? These are important questions to be answered before patent trolls can be added to our food baskets.

Re: How to slaughter a patent troll in 5 steps

#34

Post by xradionut » Sat, Jul 27, 2013, 11:29 AM UTC

robotcookies wrote: post #16

x0054 wrote: post #4

I think a tool is necessary to allow people who are threatened with litigation, but are not yet part of a lawsuit, to find each other. So, if some lawyer contacts me and tells me that I am infringing on patent X, and I should settle before trial, it would be awesome if there was a site where I could go and register (anonymously) that I am being threatened with litigation for infringement of patent X. The site would l…

Good idea. It might also be good to track the names of the lawyers involved (and not just the names of the shell companies they're hiding behind). Most know the laws may eventually change to make patent trolling harder and that their industry may not last forever. Many probably plan on working in tech if this happens. If these lawyers knew their reputation could be sullied by working for patent trolls and that tech c…

I've posted the names of a few of the lawyers that have made 8 and 9 figures from this practice and nothing happens. They don't care, it's legal, and they are in the .1 percent...

Re: How to slaughter a patent troll in 5 steps

#35

Post by officialjunk » Sat, Jul 27, 2013, 3:57 PM UTC

"the second" you read this...

Re: How to slaughter a patent troll in 5 steps

#36

Post by rpgmaker » Sat, Jul 27, 2013, 4:14 PM UTC

lh7777 wrote: post #13

rpgmaker wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quick offtopic: from where is the image in the article?

Looks like it's from the movie Troll Hunter. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1740707/

Thanks!

Re: How to slaughter a patent troll in 5 steps

#37

Post by TallboyOne » Sat, Jul 27, 2013, 4:47 PM UTC

Can someone explain to me HOW these exist? Every time I read a story about patent trolsl it enrages me. How do these even exist?? I get the gist of what they do, but how come they don't have to pay any money, or even back up their claims?

How hard would it be to just pass a law that stops these $&% pricks? Will this happen any time soon do you think?

Re: How to slaughter a patent troll in 5 steps

#38

Post by sporkologist » Sat, Jul 27, 2013, 5:26 PM UTC

james_madison wrote: post #9

dangrossman wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is no such patent; no patent assigned to Nike contains the word "maize", and Google finds nothing to corroborate this story but an opinion piece in a Michigan newspaper about a rumored copyright being the reason the team changed its colors. Neither copyright nor patent can give ownership rights in a color.

> Neither copyright nor patent can give ownership rights in a color. A color can be a trademark: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colour_trademark

(trademarks and copyrights) ≠ (patents)

Re: How to slaughter a patent troll in 5 steps

#39

Post by osipov » Sun, Jul 28, 2013, 12:03 PM UTC

x0054 wrote: post #4

I think a tool is necessary to allow people who are threatened with litigation, but are not yet part of a lawsuit, to find each other. So, if some lawyer contacts me and tells me that I am infringing on patent X, and I should settle before trial, it would be awesome if there was a site where I could go and register (anonymously) that I am being threatened with litigation for infringement of patent X. The site would l…

fightthetroll.com does something similar to what you described

Re: How to slaughter a patent troll in 5 steps

#40

Post by netforay » Wed, Jul 31, 2013, 2:41 AM UTC

osipov wrote: post #30

netforay wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is exactly what I thought after reading this article. Good idea. If some one can make the spec, I can get it done.

Would you be interested in taking a look at a site like that? It would be great to get your feedback!

Yes, I am very much interested.