Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Microsoft found GUILTY of patent infringement

bendsley · 06-09-2005, 08:12 AM

1)Which might be one of the reasons that Microsoft is backing proposals for a reform of the patent systems, according to this article [zdnet.com].

Microsoft is now getting one of those giants like IBM who will constantly be bugged by private patent owners (bogus or real) for money. My experience is that though large companies have many patents, the quality of their portfolio is relatively low as they like big numbers. Small companies, on the other hand, have either a completely worthless portfolio or a small but very powerfull portfolio. And a small production, so the backfire risk of a patent lawsuit towards Microsoft is negligible.

2)Basically, it went like this:

Microsoft obtains software product A.
Microsoft obtains software product B.
Microsoft begins making them work together.
Guy beats Microsoft to market.
Microsoft continues making their products work together.
Guy sues Microsoft, wins millions for being first to patent obvious method made "novel" by the fact that it works on those confusin' new computers.

This would work against Linux.

This crap would work on anything.

Microsoft did *NOTHING* wrong here. They didn't steal his stuff or anything. They just made their own products work together. It probably wouldn't even have been an issue if Excel and Access had been marketed under the same freaking product name.

DOWN WITH SOFTWARE PATENTS!

06-09-2005, 08:12 AM	#5 (permalink)
bendsley Professional Loafer Location: texas	1)Which might be one of the reasons that Microsoft is backing proposals for a reform of the patent systems, according to this article [zdnet.com]. Microsoft is now getting one of those giants like IBM who will constantly be bugged by private patent owners (bogus or real) for money. My experience is that though large companies have many patents, the quality of their portfolio is relatively low as they like big numbers. Small companies, on the other hand, have either a completely worthless portfolio or a small but very powerfull portfolio. And a small production, so the backfire risk of a patent lawsuit towards Microsoft is negligible. 2)Basically, it went like this: Microsoft obtains software product A. Microsoft obtains software product B. Microsoft begins making them work together. Guy beats Microsoft to market. Microsoft continues making their products work together. Guy sues Microsoft, wins millions for being first to patent obvious method made "novel" by the fact that it works on those confusin' new computers. This would work against Linux. This crap would work on anything. Microsoft did NOTHING wrong here. They didn't steal his stuff or anything. They just made their own products work together. It probably wouldn't even have been an issue if Excel and Access had been marketed under the same freaking product name. DOWN WITH SOFTWARE PATENTS! __________________ "You hear the one about the fella who died, went to the pearly gates? St. Peter let him in. Sees a guy in a suit making a closing argument. Says, "Who's that?" St. Peter says, "Oh, that's God. Thinks he's Denny Crane."