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Patent war goes nuclear: Microsoft, Apple-owned “Rockstar” sues Google

arstechnica.com

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Re: Patent war goes nuclear: Microsoft, Apple-owned “Rockstar” sues Google

#61

Post by pg »

It's a little early to say for sure, but I predict this will do more to hurt Apple's reputation in the tech community than anything they've done before. And that is not a good community to alienate. I would not be surprised if they look back on this move one day and feel that they ended up net worse off as a result.

Apple used to be careful not to alienate hackers. And Microsoft has been gradually digging itself out of a hole in that respect for several years. Now in my mind they are both the enemy.

Re: Patent war goes nuclear: Microsoft, Apple-owned “Rockstar” sues Google

#62

Post by grej »

randomfool wrote: post #53
37prime wrote: post #38

Frank Shaw of Microsoft revealed that Google was invited to jointly bid Nortel’s Patent Portfolio but declined. http://techcrunch.com/2011/08/03/microsoft-just-kicked-googl... http://technologizer.com/2011/08/04/google-shows-how-not-to-... Take everything with at least a boulder of salt before turning to an emotional being.

By invitation, was it "Join us in suing others, or we'll sue you?"

indeed. Sounds more like extorted than invited at first glance.

Re: Patent war goes nuclear: Microsoft, Apple-owned “Rockstar” sues Google

#63

Post by bstar77 »

throwaway98604 wrote: post #34
ekianjo wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Don't buy Macs" is not going to work well around here. Most HNers develop software on Mac and see it as the ideal development platform. I'd say they don't care about what Apple does (it's not the first time Apple does that either).

I'm honestly starting to regret choosing to learn Objective-C now. I am seriously considering learning Android development and ditching my Macbook / iPhone for a Nexus 5 and some sort of linux distro. People like me are making this whole situation significantly worse by contributing software to Apple's platform.

This comment is ridiculous. The big players have been playing a patent chess game since 2007. Don't forget Google bid for these patents as well and it's completely ignorant to think they would have not exercised their billion $+ purchase.

Google took the initiative a year ago with their Motorola patent portfolio, Samsung took the initiative with their FRAND patents, Apple took the initiative with their design portfolio, Microsoft took the initiative by funding SCO and suing android OEMs and now this conglomerate is taking the initiative with the Nortel patents.

This is a war with many players willing to stifle the industry until this gets sorted out. All players are responsible, but this terrible system requires that you get involved and are proactive in protecting your intellectual property.

Go sell your mac and get an ultra book. Go learn Java and ditch obj-c. But do it because you prefer those products, not because you think you are taking the moral high ground.

Re: Patent war goes nuclear: Microsoft, Apple-owned “Rockstar” sues Google

#64

Post by anko »

cageface wrote: post #42
throwaway98604 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm honestly starting to regret choosing to learn Objective-C now. I am seriously considering learning Android development and ditching my Macbook / iPhone for a Nexus 5 and some sort of linux distro. People like me are making this whole situation significantly worse by contributing software to Apple's platform.

If it makes any difference I'd say Android development is mostly a lot more logical and sane than iOS, particularly now that Apple is shoving the tragic catastrophe of an API that is AutoLayout down everybody's throat. Don't let the fragmentation FUD scare you.

What do you mean by fragmentation FUD? Are you seriously saying that android isn't more fragmented than iOS?

There are 5 resolutions to support in iOS. For most purposes, there are only 2 versions to support. What's the situation like on android?

Just because you don't understand an API, doesn't mean you should trash it. Writing APIs is hard. Last I checked I couldn't have more than 1 map on a screen on android with massive trickery.

Re: Patent war goes nuclear: Microsoft, Apple-owned “Rockstar” sues Google

#65

Post by kumarm »

regal wrote: post #51
bpodgursky wrote: post #18

I know it's been said before, but to reiterate: outrage doesn't help anything, but buying products from these companies DOES hurt. If you're truly outraged enough to want to take action, take action - writing to your representatives - donating to the EFF or other organizations - by not donating another $2k to Apple for a new Mac*, implicitly endorsing these bullshit tactics - not developing for those platforms (App S…

The bigger outrage in smart phones is the fact that Android exists in the first place - thanks to a little industrial espionage on Apple's board. [1] I know where my wallet voting's going. [1] http://www.forbes.com/sites/robenderle/2011/11/11/you-the-ju...

Everything in first iPhone existing much before iPhone came into existence if you lived outside Steve Jobs distortion field.

The fact that Apple could sue Motorola who invented Mobile Phone and get away with it shows how stupid the patent system is.

Re: Patent war goes nuclear: Microsoft, Apple-owned “Rockstar” sues Google

#66

Post by eru »

zmmmmm wrote: post #46
alwaysinshade wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I thought it was impossible to be more of a douchebag than Intellectual Ventures, but apparently, there's a new winner in town." What Rockstar is doing is very shitty, but IV takes the cake because they're a non-practicing entity. It's one thing to sue competitors for making products similar to your own, it's another to make no products and sue people who dare to make something vaguely encroaching your vaguely defin…

I think RockStar is even worse because they are an NPE that is a sham front set up to further the anticompetitive business interests of two of the largest and most dominant companies on the planet. That's all the evil of a patent troll plus extra ...

> [...] largest and most dominant companies on the planet.

... in software.

Re: Patent war goes nuclear: Microsoft, Apple-owned “Rockstar” sues Google

#69

Post by ekianjo »

bstar77 wrote: post #63
throwaway98604 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm honestly starting to regret choosing to learn Objective-C now. I am seriously considering learning Android development and ditching my Macbook / iPhone for a Nexus 5 and some sort of linux distro. People like me are making this whole situation significantly worse by contributing software to Apple's platform.

This comment is ridiculous. The big players have been playing a patent chess game since 2007. Don't forget Google bid for these patents as well and it's completely ignorant to think they would have not exercised their billion $+ purchase. Google took the initiative a year ago with their Motorola patent portfolio, Samsung took the initiative with their FRAND patents, Apple took the initiative with their design portfol…

If I remember correctly, Google has always said they would only use these patents in a defensive manner if they ever get them. http://www.androidcentral.com/google-pledges-only-use-open-s...

That's very different from Apple or Microsoft.

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