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Another Patent Troll Slain. You Are Now Free to Rotate Your Smartphone

rackspace.com

1–10 of 42 posts

Re: Another Patent Troll Slain. You Are Now Free to Rotate Your Smartphone

#2
>> We are still fighting some of the trolls that have come after us and we expect to win those cases too. Without changes in the law we believe that the only way to end the plague of patent trolls is by fighting every troll that comes at us – and we encourage all others to do the same.

Needless to say, Rackspace can afford this strategy whereas smaller companies, who have no full-time attorneys on staff and little funds to retain outside counsel, generally cannot. A change in the law is needed to legislate patent trolls out of existence is still needed, basically yesterday.

Re: Another Patent Troll Slain. You Are Now Free to Rotate Your Smartphone

#3
"Rotatable sued us and immediately asked for $75,000 to go away. We refused. And we fought. It’s Rackspace policy to not pay off patent trolls, even if it costs us more to fight. Eventually Rotatable offered to just walk away – but we refused again. Just as we promised last year, we challenged the patent and the USPTO invalidated it.

This means that Rackspace will not pay one penny to this troll, nor will Apple, Netflix, Electronic Arts, Target, Whole Foods or any of the other companies sued by Rotatable for how they use screen rotation technology in their apps."

It surprises me why there aren't joint defense funding efforts in place to put these industry pests to bed... Clearly Apple, Google and Microsoft would have been next on Rotatable's target list if Rackspace had caved - and like weeding, rooting them out early will prevent infestations.

Is it because the big corps perhaps view the trolls as worth their pain - what function could they serve?

Re: Another Patent Troll Slain. You Are Now Free to Rotate Your Smartphone

#5
post #3

"Rotatable sued us and immediately asked for $75,000 to go away. We refused. And we fought. It’s Rackspace policy to not pay off patent trolls, even if it costs us more to fight. Eventually Rotatable offered to just walk away – but we refused again. Just as we promised last year, we challenged the patent and the USPTO invalidated it. This means that Rackspace will not pay one penny to this troll, nor will Apple, Netf…

Bureaucracy and frivolous lawsuits end up being minor nuisances for large firms, but dangerous to smaller businesses.

Re: Another Patent Troll Slain. You Are Now Free to Rotate Your Smartphone

#7
post #3

"Rotatable sued us and immediately asked for $75,000 to go away. We refused. And we fought. It’s Rackspace policy to not pay off patent trolls, even if it costs us more to fight. Eventually Rotatable offered to just walk away – but we refused again. Just as we promised last year, we challenged the patent and the USPTO invalidated it. This means that Rackspace will not pay one penny to this troll, nor will Apple, Netf…

> It surprises me why there aren't joint defense funding efforts in place to put these industry pests to bed...

Or at least Troll Defense Insurance

Re: Another Patent Troll Slain. You Are Now Free to Rotate Your Smartphone

#8

This has really bought rack space a lot of good will in my mind. Everytime I read an article like this I find myself wanting to do business with them more and more.

Could fighting patent trolls be a solid marketing strategy? It could!

Re: Another Patent Troll Slain. You Are Now Free to Rotate Your Smartphone

#9

This has really bought rack space a lot of good will in my mind. Everytime I read an article like this I find myself wanting to do business with them more and more.

Could fighting patent trolls be a solid marketing strategy? It could!

And recruiting - it builds mindshare in the people you employee.

Re: Another Patent Troll Slain. You Are Now Free to Rotate Your Smartphone

#10
post #6

Why do trolls still try to sue Rackspace? They publicly proclaim their anti-troll policy. If 88% of these cases kill the troll when they go through the courts fully, I would stay well away from them if I was a patent troll.

Same with New Egg ... but I guess it's because patent trolls know the patents aren't worth much unless they try to hit every "big" user who can pay up. And even if 88% of cases are won if followed through, I bet 88% of the time they're not followed through, and the payments then keep trolls alive. Reform is still our best option, for software patents.
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