Comments on: Microsoft AOL Patent Theater http://www.cringely.com/2012/04/12/microsoft-aol-patent-theater?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=microsoft-aol-patent-theater Cringely on technology Tue, 21 May 2013 14:42:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Savannah Banahan http://www.cringely.com/2012/04/12/microsoft-aol-patent-theater#comment-214135 Savannah Banahan Mon, 28 May 2012 13:16:21 +0000 http://www.cringely.com/?p=3894#comment-214135 I know a lot about insurance but I sure know little about how to leverage the computer for marketing. Internet Marketing for Insurance Agents show me EXACTLY what to do. The Click-by-Click coverage is what computer novices like me need. I am getting a much better handle on how to improve our Google ranking which I see as being the KEY to being found. Although we are going to work the social networking more, we need to focus a lot on Google Places in my opinion. I also see us as utilizing YouTube videos to help our existing customers learn more about what additional coverage might help them. Overall, this book was an EXCELLENT value for my agendy.

]]> I know a lot about insurance but I sure know little about how to leverage the computer for marketing. Internet Marketing for Insurance Agents show me EXACTLY what to do. The Click-by-Click coverage is what computer novices like me need. I am getting a much better handle on how to improve our Google ranking which I see as being the KEY to being found. Although we are going to work the social networking more, we need to focus a lot on Google Places in my opinion. I also see us as utilizing YouTube videos to help our existing customers learn more about what additional coverage might help them. Overall, this book was an EXCELLENT value for my agendy.

]]> By: house extension costs sydney http://www.cringely.com/2012/04/12/microsoft-aol-patent-theater#comment-211702 house extension costs sydney Fri, 11 May 2012 02:49:57 +0000 http://www.cringely.com/?p=3894#comment-211702 <strong>is a difference between a follower and...</strong> a fan/friend. fans and friends will be more engaged wile followers are a lot less likely to click on a link you tweet or respond to you update or question. so setting a straightforward goal like the one above is all...

]]> is a difference between a follower and…

a fan/friend. fans and friends will be more engaged wile followers are a lot less likely to click on a link you tweet or respond to you update or question. so setting a straightforward goal like the one above is all…

]]> By: VB.Net, C#, C++ http://www.cringely.com/2012/04/12/microsoft-aol-patent-theater#comment-209800 VB.Net, C#, C++ Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:07:08 +0000 http://www.cringely.com/?p=3894#comment-209800 <strong>VB.Net, C#, C++...</strong> [...]I, Cringely » Blog Archive Microsoft AOL Patent Theater - I, Cringely - Cringely on technology[...]...
]]> VB.Net, C#, C++…

[...]I, Cringely » Blog Archive Microsoft AOL Patent Theater – I, Cringely – Cringely on technology[...]…

]]> By: Paul http://www.cringely.com/2012/04/12/microsoft-aol-patent-theater#comment-208335 Paul Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:56:51 +0000 http://www.cringely.com/?p=3894#comment-208335 "Maybe Microsoft will cross-license with Facebook, making the loss immaterial." Right on the money. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/facebook-microsoft-strike-a-patent-deal/2012/04/23/gIQAJSfKcT_story.html

]]> “Maybe Microsoft will cross-license with Facebook, making the loss immaterial.” Right on the money. http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/facebook-microsoft-strike-a-patent-deal/2012/04/23/gIQAJSfKcT_story.html

]]> By: Vegan Christian http://www.cringely.com/2012/04/12/microsoft-aol-patent-theater#comment-207960 Vegan Christian Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:23:35 +0000 http://www.cringely.com/?p=3894#comment-207960 <strong>Vegan Christian...</strong> [...]I, Cringely » Blog Archive Microsoft AOL Patent Theater - I, Cringely - Cringely on technology[...]...

]]> Vegan Christian…

[...]I, Cringely » Blog Archive Microsoft AOL Patent Theater – I, Cringely – Cringely on technology[...]…

]]> By: Dave Lane http://www.cringely.com/2012/04/12/microsoft-aol-patent-theater#comment-207378 Dave Lane Sat, 21 Apr 2012 09:07:27 +0000 http://www.cringely.com/?p=3894#comment-207378 We've already had some enquiries from US and Canadian companies wanting to move to NZ just on the strength of our pending (not yet enacted) anti-software patent legislation.

]]> We’ve already had some enquiries from US and Canadian companies wanting to move to NZ just on the strength of our pending (not yet enacted) anti-software patent legislation.

]]> By: Dave Laen http://www.cringely.com/2012/04/12/microsoft-aol-patent-theater#comment-207376 Dave Laen Sat, 21 Apr 2012 09:06:15 +0000 http://www.cringely.com/?p=3894#comment-207376 You're spot on Ming. We've enetered the age of digital abundance. The old rules to encourage investment which was capital intensive do not apply to software 99.9% of the time. The old incentives are unnecessary, and the patent system should be changed to exclude software. We convinced our government to do that here in NZ - they - after public consultation, the parties in government supported the exclusion of software from patentability unanimously. Sadly, the proposed legislation hasn't been passed into law yet, and the impending "Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement" (an FTA with the US) may overrule that, as the US is trying to use FTAs to inflict its fundamentally broken IP regime on the rest of the world (whose politicians typically don't understand this stuff at the best of times).

]]> You’re spot on Ming. We’ve enetered the age of digital abundance. The old rules to encourage investment which was capital intensive do not apply to software 99.9% of the time. The old incentives are unnecessary, and the patent system should be changed to exclude software. We convinced our government to do that here in NZ – they – after public consultation, the parties in government supported the exclusion of software from patentability unanimously.

Sadly, the proposed legislation hasn’t been passed into law yet, and the impending “Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement” (an FTA with the US) may overrule that, as the US is trying to use FTAs to inflict its fundamentally broken IP regime on the rest of the world (whose politicians typically don’t understand this stuff at the best of times).

]]> By: TemporalBeing http://www.cringely.com/2012/04/12/microsoft-aol-patent-theater#comment-206122 TemporalBeing Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:01:17 +0000 http://www.cringely.com/?p=3894#comment-206122 The only problem with your analysis is that if AOL sat on it too long they would not have been able to sue Microsoft over the patents. Remember, lack of enforcement means loss of the patent right - once you know party is infringing you have a limited time to notify them before enforcement damages (willful or not) are expunged. So, Microsoft may not be able to enforce them either. Meaning, Microsoft may have transferred money to AOL without getting anything real in return, aside from perhaps peace of mind which the lawyers probably already had - especially if it had been sitting for a decade already (they were probably well in the clear). Of course, it may just be more cannon fodder for FUD - for the Microsoft-Mosaid-Nokia deal, for Google, and others - to try to get everyone to pay-up for something that is ultimately worthless.

]]> The only problem with your analysis is that if AOL sat on it too long they would not have been able to sue Microsoft over the patents.

Remember, lack of enforcement means loss of the patent right – once you know party is infringing you have a limited time to notify them before enforcement damages (willful or not) are expunged.

So, Microsoft may not be able to enforce them either.

Meaning, Microsoft may have transferred money to AOL without getting anything real in return, aside from perhaps peace of mind which the lawyers probably already had – especially if it had been sitting for a decade already (they were probably well in the clear).

Of course, it may just be more cannon fodder for FUD – for the Microsoft-Mosaid-Nokia deal, for Google, and others – to try to get everyone to pay-up for something that is ultimately worthless.

]]> By: angry dude http://www.cringely.com/2012/04/12/microsoft-aol-patent-theater#comment-206079 angry dude Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:19:44 +0000 http://www.cringely.com/?p=3894#comment-206079 Ha-Ha-Ha YOu obviously are very far from anything patent-related Patent "business" is not for the faint of a pocketbook to begin with... Those potential infringers are not "kids" - they are huge corporate monstrosities They make sure to hide infringement deep enough so it is prohibitively expensive to uncover, even in case of software-implemented technology, not even talking about FPGAa or ASICs Writing cease-and-desist letter to a big company will automatically bring you a declaratory judgement lawsuit, in a remote jurisdiction - they know how to bankrupt us, little guys SO all I can do for now is whine in this and other blogs And you are right, unless you are a shrewd (and cut-throat) business person with a clear plan on how to extract money from the industry, you have no business patenting anything I should have known better...

]]> Ha-Ha-Ha

YOu obviously are very far from anything patent-related

Patent “business” is not for the faint of a pocketbook to begin with…

Those potential infringers are not “kids” – they are huge corporate monstrosities

They make sure to hide infringement deep enough so it is prohibitively expensive to uncover,
even in case of software-implemented technology, not even talking about FPGAa or ASICs

Writing cease-and-desist letter to a big company will automatically bring you a declaratory judgement lawsuit,
in a remote jurisdiction – they know how to bankrupt us, little guys

SO all I can do for now is whine in this and other blogs

And you are right, unless you are a shrewd (and cut-throat) business person with a clear plan on how to extract money from the industry,
you have no business patenting anything

I should have known better…

]]> By: Grunchy http://www.cringely.com/2012/04/12/microsoft-aol-patent-theater#comment-206028 Grunchy Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:15:54 +0000 http://www.cringely.com/?p=3894#comment-206028 Actually, you know what - angry dude I have an idea that you could try. What you could do is you could find someone who is infringing your patented technology, and you could write them a "cease and desist" order, that demands licensing fees from them in order that they can continue using your technology, and warns that you may be forced to pursue legal action if they don't pay. Take a half hour of time, write up the letter, mail it out and see what happens. That's what a genuine business person does. He sets up a candy store, a kid walks in and grabs a handful of candy, and as the customer is walking out the business person says "either pay me some money before you leave with that candy or I may be forced to report you to the police". 99 times out of a hundred they'll pay you the money, and that's what business is. That's pretty much how easy it is to be a business person.

]]> Actually, you know what – angry dude I have an idea that you could try. What you could do is you could find someone who is infringing your patented technology, and you could write them a “cease and desist” order, that demands licensing fees from them in order that they can continue using your technology, and warns that you may be forced to pursue legal action if they don’t pay. Take a half hour of time, write up the letter, mail it out and see what happens.

That’s what a genuine business person does. He sets up a candy store, a kid walks in and grabs a handful of candy, and as the customer is walking out the business person says “either pay me some money before you leave with that candy or I may be forced to report you to the police”. 99 times out of a hundred they’ll pay you the money, and that’s what business is. That’s pretty much how easy it is to be a business person.

]]>