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Lodsys Responds to Apple, Files Lawsuits Against App Developers

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Re: Lodsys Responds to Apple, Files Lawsuits Against App Developers

#41

Post by scottdw2 »

zdw wrote: post #6

Source post here: http://www.lodsys.com/1/post/2011/05/-responsibility-and-acc... Betting $1000/dev that they're right is definitely gutsy.

I don't think it's gutsy.

1. They are a patent troll.

2. They have no brand to tarnish.

3. Even if they did have a brand to tarnish (oh, your THOSE patent trolls, no thanks I'll sell to someone else), their assests can easily be transferred to an array of successor companies with little impact to their ability to troll.

4. Their promise is not an enforceable contract. There's no "consideration" involved. If they don't pay, there's no legal recourse.

5. It looks to me like a plan to either:

a. Influence public opinion.

b. Provide a defense against tortious interference claims.

(note: I'm not a lawyer, this is just ignorant supposition).

Re: Lodsys Responds to Apple, Files Lawsuits Against App Developers

#42

Post by zmmmmm »

Interesting that Apple is actually negotiating with them over this. They must be seriously thinking about the value of the FUD it would create for their competitors if Apple managed to come out of it with an exclusive (or even non-exclusive, but expensive) license.

Re: Lodsys Responds to Apple, Files Lawsuits Against App Developers

#43

Post by ars »

nhangen wrote: post #23

This is infuriating. I wasn't even given a letter, but I'd be happy to donate money to a central organization, if there is one, ready to fight these assholes. Patents are bogus, and software patents are even worse. In this case, we're talking about process and not technology. Maybe this is needed to bring light to the issue and perhaps piss Apple off enough that they'll work to invalidate the patent.

You need to work on congress, not Lodsys or Apple.

Lodsys is doing what the law lets them. I'm not going to get mad at them for it - I'd get mad at those that let them do it.

Re: Lodsys Responds to Apple, Files Lawsuits Against App Developers

#44

Post by zoul »

ars wrote: post #43
nhangen wrote: post #23

This is infuriating. I wasn't even given a letter, but I'd be happy to donate money to a central organization, if there is one, ready to fight these assholes. Patents are bogus, and software patents are even worse. In this case, we're talking about process and not technology. Maybe this is needed to bring light to the issue and perhaps piss Apple off enough that they'll work to invalidate the patent.

You need to work on congress, not Lodsys or Apple. Lodsys is doing what the law lets them. I'm not going to get mad at them for it - I'd get mad at those that let them do it.

They are being assholes, which is fine as far as the law goes, but still it's a legit reason for being mad at them.

Re: Lodsys Responds to Apple, Files Lawsuits Against App Developers

#47

Post by ars »

zoul wrote: post #44
ars wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You need to work on congress, not Lodsys or Apple. Lodsys is doing what the law lets them. I'm not going to get mad at them for it - I'd get mad at those that let them do it.

They are being assholes, which is fine as far as the law goes, but still it's a legit reason for being mad at them.

It's pointless, that's how corporations are. It's about as useful as getting mad at a wild animal for acting like an animal.

The only time corporations "care" is when their customers want them to (because otherwise they would loose business).

Re: Lodsys Responds to Apple, Files Lawsuits Against App Developers

#48

Post by necrecious »

younata wrote: post #10
necrecious wrote: post #7

Wonder if there is a way to get WBC style trolls to go up against patent trolls.

just convince them that patent trolls support the "homosexual agenda". Doing that is the hard part. Good luck.

WBC style trolls are those who abuse the legal system for personal gain, by legal but not necessarily moral means.

Patent trolls are exactly in this mold, the question is if there is a way to make money off of them?

Any system will have parasites. You can change system, i.e. patent reform, or introduce a predator for the parasite.

Re: Lodsys Responds to Apple, Files Lawsuits Against App Developers

#49

Post by rimantas »

jcarreiro wrote: post #38
AndyJPartridge wrote: post #36

I just don't get how this can be upheld. It's OBVIOUSLY impossible for Johnny Coder to be aware of every patent that has been filed to date. Copying someones overall design wholesale, I can understand. The "Look and Feel" copyright system is a much neater solution than all this patent nonsense.

> It's OBVIOUSLY impossible for Johnny Coder to be aware of every patent There is no requirement that you be aware of the patent to infringe upon it. In fact, awareness of the patent may entitle the patent holder to increased damages. Disclaimer: I write software for a living. I'm not sure where I stand on the idea of software patents but I suspect they do more good than harm. I think that someone suing small, indepe…

  > I suspect they do more good than harm
I would like to see examples of software patents doing more good.

Re: Lodsys Responds to Apple, Files Lawsuits Against App Developers

#50

Post by Groxx »

smackfu wrote: post #14

It was pretty silly to think Lodsys, which is solely a patent-holding company, would back down just because they got a letter from Apple's lawyers. Lodsys has lawyers too.

It's silly to think that a troll would go for the low-hanging fruit, instead of spending millions on a risky attempt against a massively richer company?
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