An Army Is Forming To Battle Patent Trolls

http://www.rackspace.com/blog/an-army-is-forming-to-battle-patent-trolls/

by grimey27 • 13 years ago

162 38 13 years ago

rackspace.com

ireadqrcodes• 13 years ago

go get em. where is the flattr button?

samspenc• 13 years ago

Yeah! Been waiting for this forever. +1.

HistoryInAction• 13 years ago

I'd certainly like to see EFF on that list, but we've got Business Software Alliance (Microsoft) and Engine Advocacy (Google) on there. No one with strong grassroots ties among startups unfortunately.

npsimons• 13 years ago

BSA? One of the more prominent backers of SOPA? Are you kidding me? These are the same goons who send threatening letters about EULA violations on their members' (Apple and Microsoft being prominent) behalf. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

rayiner6• 13 years ago

You're getting the nerd outrage talking points mixed up. This thread is about patent trolling (which the BSA is against), not copyright trolling (which the BSA pioneered).

sliverstorm• 13 years ago

Seems OK to me. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and whatnot.

fnordfnordfnord2• 13 years ago

Except the BSA only wants to end the patent trolling that's done by individuals and small entities. Which won't be distinguishable from small entities defending legitimate patents.

mtgx• 13 years ago

Do you really think these guys think the same things we do when we mean "patent reform"? If anything they will make it worse (and better for corporations). They do represent corporations after all. And do you really expect Microsoft to want to "fix" the patent system? They make money out of it.

bad_user• 13 years ago

Speaking of Microsoft, aren't they patent trolling Android phone makers like right now?

Sure, it depends on your definition of what a patent troll is, but IMHO, a company that failed to innovate for years until Apple and Google did and that makes more money from Android than from its own OS is a patent troll.

will_brown3• 13 years ago

I tried to measure HN interest in Crowd Sourcing challenges to Patent Trolls (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5573778).

It is very commendable that rackspace is taking this to task on both fronts, individual patent challenges and lobbying efforts to change the law. However, this also has the immediate effect of encouraging trolls to go after the little guys and no longer companies who can afford litigate.

hollerith• 13 years ago

I always thought that patent holders cannot make money suing the little guys.

drcube• 13 years ago

But all they have to do is threaten to sue...

will_brown3• 13 years ago

Patent trolls try to force them to settle for nominal amounts to avoid litigation, one example I heard is a troll sending demands to the end users of copy machines "that scan to email" instead of the manufacturers and retailers. At that point it is a numbers game if they get 1% of end users to pay $1000 it adds up. Now that is some of the more egregious (maybe unlawful) examples but it will become more common.

Edit: This is a link to one article about my example (http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/04/meet-the-nice-guy...) it seems the troll went after small business and demanded $1,000/employee using the scan to email function.

D9u8• 13 years ago

I'm with you!

I seem to recall a time when "ly'ers" (lawyers) were prohibited from assuming political office...

Now they've taken over.

will_brown3• 13 years ago

Just to stick up for my kind a little (lawyers that is), Thomas Jefferson was a 21 year old lawyer when he drafted the Declaration of Independence; good ol' Honest Abe was a lawyer and pushed for the Emancipation Proclamation; and one of my personal favorites is Gandhi.

And to stick up for the profession not just a few individuals, when Clinton lied under oath, the only real action taken against him was by his State Bar who immediately disbarred him despite him being President and unlikely to ever practice again.

Edit: Jefferson was 33 when he drafted the Declaration of Independence (credit - rqwerwqerwr)

D9u8• 13 years ago

Touche will_brown. Point taken.

rqwerwqerwr• 13 years ago

It could also be argued that they did good things in spite of being lawyers.

Looked up the thing about Thomas Jefferson drafting the Declaration of Independence at 21 and this is what I found in wikipedia [1]:

Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 (April 2, 1743 O.S.) – July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776)

Seems like he was in his thirties. Care to correct yourself?

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson

rayiner6• 13 years ago

When and where? In the U.S., 32 of the 55 framers of the Constitution, and 25 of the 56 signers of the declaration of independence, were lawyers.

D9u8• 13 years ago

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsj&fileNam...

Apparently the original text of the 13th Amendment was quite a bit different than what it eventually came to be. Is the appellation "Lawyer" not a "Title?"

ereckers• 13 years ago

Good. There's nothing that can ruin your day faster than getting a letter in the mail stating that you are in violation of this and that and you could be prosecuted for up to a quarter million dollars.

piyush_soni• 13 years ago

Tighten your seat belts, rotten Apple. :)

androidb• 13 years ago

it's about time

hexagonc• 13 years ago

Here's a thought: if we're serious about patent trolling, I mean really serious about it then why not march? I'm talking about demonstrating in front of cityhall with signs and speakers on megaphones. I'm talking about a rally against patent trolling. If potheads can get together for their 420 rallies then why can't we get together in a visible way to express our views? The quote from Howard Beal in the The Network (excellent movie, by the way) was especially apt.

We start by designating an official "patent free day", blessed by the EFF and Free Software Foundation. This is the day that we hold our demonstrations. Imagine the sight of hundreds of out of shape engineers demonstrating with their pocket protectors -- they must be serious. I'd do it, at least if it was over the weekend. For me, at least, it would be awkward to do it over a weekday, because the company I work for is big on patents (even though the rally is really against patent trolling and not software patents themselves, although I am against those as well).

Do it.

xradionut• 13 years ago

See how well OWS did? The banks reformed their ways, gave the ill gotten gains to charity and all is right with the world now... /sarcasm

Marching isn't going to change a damn thing when the folks in the IP protection business make 8 figures a year and can buy the government.

ordinary• 13 years ago

You're right. Marching and protesting does not guarantee success. However, sitting on the couch doing nothing guarantees failure.

An Army Is Forming To Battle Patent Trolls

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