Where Do You Want To Go Today?
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To patent court![^] Earlier this week, Microsoft said open-source programs step on 235 Microsoft patents. The core of the free Linux operating system violates 42 patents. Open-source programs' graphical user interfaces, or the way menus and windows look on the screen, breach 65. E-mail programs step on 15, and other programs violate 68 patents, the company said. I'm curious, what do companies do about researching patent violations? I suspect that any significant product nowadays steps on some IP somewhere. Does your company actively search for areas where they might be sued for IP violations? I'm not even sure how one conducts business in this kind of environment, if for no other reason than it comes down to the guy that's got the most money to pursue a patent infringement, whether it's justified or not. I know I certainly don't have the resources if someone goes after Interacx, and I'd bet that Interacx violates some patent somewhere (or more than one)! What, as an entrepeneur, do you do nowadays about the threat of IP/patent violations? Marc
People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh Smith -
To patent court![^] Earlier this week, Microsoft said open-source programs step on 235 Microsoft patents. The core of the free Linux operating system violates 42 patents. Open-source programs' graphical user interfaces, or the way menus and windows look on the screen, breach 65. E-mail programs step on 15, and other programs violate 68 patents, the company said. I'm curious, what do companies do about researching patent violations? I suspect that any significant product nowadays steps on some IP somewhere. Does your company actively search for areas where they might be sued for IP violations? I'm not even sure how one conducts business in this kind of environment, if for no other reason than it comes down to the guy that's got the most money to pursue a patent infringement, whether it's justified or not. I know I certainly don't have the resources if someone goes after Interacx, and I'd bet that Interacx violates some patent somewhere (or more than one)! What, as an entrepeneur, do you do nowadays about the threat of IP/patent violations? Marc
People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh SmithAs our beloved Ministress of Justice said in an interview (quote from memory): "There is no cost associated with patent research, because the information is freely available". Bright gal.
We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
My first real C# project | Linkify!|FoldWithUs! | sighist -
To patent court![^] Earlier this week, Microsoft said open-source programs step on 235 Microsoft patents. The core of the free Linux operating system violates 42 patents. Open-source programs' graphical user interfaces, or the way menus and windows look on the screen, breach 65. E-mail programs step on 15, and other programs violate 68 patents, the company said. I'm curious, what do companies do about researching patent violations? I suspect that any significant product nowadays steps on some IP somewhere. Does your company actively search for areas where they might be sued for IP violations? I'm not even sure how one conducts business in this kind of environment, if for no other reason than it comes down to the guy that's got the most money to pursue a patent infringement, whether it's justified or not. I know I certainly don't have the resources if someone goes after Interacx, and I'd bet that Interacx violates some patent somewhere (or more than one)! What, as an entrepeneur, do you do nowadays about the threat of IP/patent violations? Marc
People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh SmithMarc Clifton wrote:
Does your company actively search for areas where they might be sued for IP violations
Yes, so does our patent department. When it is the case, they either a. pay for using it, b. ask us to find another solution, c. handle so that the one using it can use a patent we own in return. And their other job is to analyze others products to see if they use one of our patents. Actually, they do not test that much software, mostly hardware.
Constantly "Saving the day" should be taken as a sign of organizational dysfunction rather than individual skill - Ryan Roberts[^]
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As our beloved Ministress of Justice said in an interview (quote from memory): "There is no cost associated with patent research, because the information is freely available". Bright gal.
We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
My first real C# project | Linkify!|FoldWithUs! | sighist:laugh:
-- Oliver
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To patent court![^] Earlier this week, Microsoft said open-source programs step on 235 Microsoft patents. The core of the free Linux operating system violates 42 patents. Open-source programs' graphical user interfaces, or the way menus and windows look on the screen, breach 65. E-mail programs step on 15, and other programs violate 68 patents, the company said. I'm curious, what do companies do about researching patent violations? I suspect that any significant product nowadays steps on some IP somewhere. Does your company actively search for areas where they might be sued for IP violations? I'm not even sure how one conducts business in this kind of environment, if for no other reason than it comes down to the guy that's got the most money to pursue a patent infringement, whether it's justified or not. I know I certainly don't have the resources if someone goes after Interacx, and I'd bet that Interacx violates some patent somewhere (or more than one)! What, as an entrepeneur, do you do nowadays about the threat of IP/patent violations? Marc
People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer
People who say that they will refactor their code later to make it "good" don't understand refactoring, nor the art and craft of programming. -- Josh Smith[Rant On] I personally think patents are a joke and should be for physical objects. Additionally, a person should only have a patent for a couple of years, if they are not producing the product and just sitting on the patent it should be revoked. That would rid the world of thousands if not millions of patents from the start.. [Rant Off] You hit the nail on the head, kind of, part way at least. It is not just the guy with the most money, but the one with money backing them or they have enough desire to persure until the victim either cannot afford to continue or it is not worth it to them. In Microsoft's case though, I do not see how they can enforce any of those patents since they do not actively seek to protect them. From what I heard, you had to attempt to guard your IP or lose it (well, lose legal grounds). In your case though you are already doomed: "I'd bet that Interacx violates some patent somewhere (or more than one)!" You have publically acknowledge you now your product is in violation :)
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