That's it. I'm incorporating in Switzerland. Problem solved. :D On May 26, 2011 5:49 PM, "Tim Mensch" <[email protected]> wrote: > You might try joining up with these guys: > > http://www.cultofmac.com/ios-developers-gang-together-to-fight-off-patent-troll-lodsys/97077 > > Also, an API boycott has been suggested: > > http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/notable_ios_developer_suggests_api_boycott_to_fight_patent_trolls.php > > That article notes there's a SECOND troll on the roam, suing app > developers for...wait for it... "using forms within their apps." Yeah. > > I think a good point is made here (also in the second link above): "if > we pay, we are collaborators in our own demise, as the precedent this > sets will open a floodgate of parasites extorting licensing fees for > their alleged patents, knowing we are too weak and too scared to do > anything but pay. If we don’t pay, we’ll still be out of business, just > quicker, as we are sued out of existence." > > I don't see how cutting off our own revenue streams with a boycott makes > any sense, though. So I think the right answer is for everyone affected > to band together into a group (or pay into a fund managed by an industry > group for this purpose) and sue LodSys and any other patent trolls into > submission. If we just all roll over and pay, then you better believe > hundreds of other trolls will crawl out from under rocks and threaten > every small developer for their 0.5% -- and it doesn't take many dozens > of trolls for that to become a big chunk. Lodsys doesn't even have a > patent that's relevant to in-app purchases, after all, so all you need > to do is own a patent, ANY patent, and you can start suing! Much easier > than, you know, actually creating VALUE with your time. > > I read one article that I now can't find that suggested filing hundreds > of preemptive lawsuits in jurisdictions all over the map against patent > trolls like Lodsys; the cost to reply to so many lawsuits would likely > bankrupt the troll, but the cost to each developer could be high (at > least $2000 to file each lawsuit, more to pursue it). If instead > everyone banded together into a single combined attack, though, it could > still be really expensive, and could fail (all eggs in one basket -- get > a bad judge and/or jury, and we're all screwed). Everyone suing > separately (with some coordination -- sue on the same day, share in > legal research for precedent, etc.) is probably the best approach. > > In any event, I'd bide my time as much as possible (and I'd talk to an > attorney if I got a letter). The Apple letter hasn't had much time to > have its effect, yet -- it may be that Lodsys backs off entirely, or > that Apple (and then presumably Google) ends up in some kind of deal (or > lawsuit) with Lodsys. Both Apple and Google have the money to grind > Lodsys to dust, given the shakiness of the patent to begin with. > > Tim > > > On 5/26/2011 2:37 PM, markusn82 wrote: >> If you've been following tech news lately, you may have read about a >> company named Lodsys that is threatening to sue iOS app developers >> (many of them small shops) for infringing on patents relating to in- >> app purchases. We recently implemented in-app purchases for our >> Android application and several weeks later we received a letter from >> Lodsys, claiming that we infringed on their patents. >> >> Have any other Android developers out there been sent a letter? Has >> Google taken any action on this issue yet? Has Google given direction >> to any developers that have been hit by this? We are obviously a small >> shop and are not financially capable of defending ourselves over a >> litigation. >> >> We would appreciate any helpful responses (especially from the Android >> team). >> >> Here are a few blog posts about the issue: >> >> http://fosspatents.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-app-developers-need-to-know-about.html >> >> http://thisismynext.com/2011/05/17/lodsys-sends-ios-developers-cease-and-desist-letters-in-app-purchases-on/ >> >> Thanks >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Discuss" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en. >
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