Great link, Phil. This is a fantastic example of the evils of software patents. I grew up with a brother with autism, and I can speak firsthand about the ridiculous prices of these standalone devices. Having affordable alternatives like this will help lots of families.
On Thursday, June 14, 2012 6:42:08 PM UTC-4, phil swenson wrote: > > > http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/06/app-store-enigma-the-patent-holder-the-developer-and-the-voiceless-child/ > > > Good example of the harm from software patents. > > On Fri, Jun 8, 2012 at 4:43 PM, Cédric Beust ♔ <[email protected]> wrote: > > On Fri, Jun 8, 2012 at 4:27 PM, phil swenson <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> > >> I think this bit of goodness is the exception, not the rule. > >> Look at all the patent trolling going on (Lodsys). Look at the > >> monster patent portfolios being built (Google, Apple, Oracle, > >> Microsoft, Nortel consortium) to attack and defend. > >> > >> At the very least, patent durations are crazy long for software. > >> 14-20 years depending on circumstances. > > > > > > Definitely, that's one of the things I said in the previous discussions. > > > >> > >> Amazon's 1 click patent was > >> filed in 1997, expires in 2017. Is that sane in any way? Firstly, > >> that it was awarded in the first place. Secondly - 20 years in > >> software? > > > > > > How many times has Amazon made money off this patent from a big court > case? > > Never. How many web sites have a one click purchase link? A lot. > > > >> > >> > >> Oh and I love the latest "tweak" to the patent system. First to file > >> instead of First to Invent? > >> > >> > http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-patent-system-to-transform-from-first-to-invent-to-first-to-file-avi-biopharma-and-xoma-look-to-benefit-2012-05-04 > > >> > >> Patent system rewards the big and the rich, not the independents. > > > > > > Many startups get sold for a lot of money in part thanks to their patent > > portfolios, so it's not just for the big and rich. I would argue that > > without patents, you would see a lot less startups being acquired and a > > company like TiVo might never had emerged and be successful despite its > > original and disrupting ideas. > > > > > >> > >> The > >> rich/big co's are the only ones who have the money to file and defend. > >> > >> It's a fact that almost every software company violates many patents. > >> You just don't know it because you'd have to spend tons of time > >> researching them + there are tons of ridiculous/obvious patents that > >> you can't help but violate + the act of researching patents makes you > >> more liable because you "know" about breaking them. > > > > > > Exactly, all this dark matter ("you don't know how many patents you > > violate", "look at the portfolio that big companies are amassing", "look > at > > all these trash patents getting filed") says *nothing* about the system. > > > > Here are a few criteria by which to measure how well the system works: > > > > How much innovation is happening in the US (a lot). > > How much innovation is happening in countries that have none of these > laws > > such as China (none). > > How many of these patents actually end up in court (hardly any). > > How many of these patents that actually land in court end up with an > > outrageous verdict (can't even think of one). > > > > Anyway, we've had this discussion here many, many times, no point in > > rehashing it. > > > > -- > > Cédric > > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > > "Java Posse" 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/javaposse?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Java Posse" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/javaposse/-/PO2urlho-DMJ. 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/javaposse?hl=en.
