On Apr 8, 2009, at 7:30 AM, Dan wrote:
> > At 4:43 AM -0700 4/8/2009, Bill Spencer wrote: >> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/technology/companies/09apple.html > > sigh. Yet-another reason to overhaul the patent system. Why? I know this is the knee-jerk reaction any time a patent case comes up to court, but there's nothing in this article to indicate that this is anything other than a bona-fide patent infringement case instead of a submarine patent lawsuit abuse. It's written to inflame ,"this may have emboldened the patent terrorists", but it's not a case of a company using a patent on a closed laserdisk real-estate system claiming to encompass the world wide web. If it turns out that Apple's actually infringed Elan's patents, they're due compensation; this is the whole POINT of the patent system. More than likely this will turn out to be a case of overlapping patents, and they'll enter cross-licensing agreements with Apple, just like Elan did with Synaptics. Now, if it does turn out they have duelling patents, that does indicate at the very least, that the Patent Office needs to be beefed up, but that's been the case for decades. Post-"in re Bilski" we should see a lot less of that submarine patent business method nonsense. (unless the SCOTUS, in a fit of insanity, strikes down Bilski, then we're back to that horrid "I patent how to swing on a swing" crap "State Street" engendered.) This will, if anything, benefit Apple. Remember "Writing 'Apple is a Hardware Company' on the blackboard"? Apple makes *things*; things are the point of patents. Without the flood of business method patents, mathematical algorithm patents, etc, the Patent office will have a reduced caseload and be dealing with things again, enabling closer review and a more accurate system. -- Bruce Johnson University of Arizona College of Pharmacy Information Technology Group Institutions do not have opinions, merely customs --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to Low End Mac's iMac List, a group for those using G3, G4, G5, and Intel Core iMacs as well as Apple eMacs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/imac/list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml 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/imaclist?hl=en Low End Mac RSS feed at feed://lowendmac.com/feed.xml -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
