[ale] [Fwd: Microsoft can't sell `Word' in US]

Thompson Freeman tfreeman at intel.digichem.net
Thu Aug 13 16:24:05 EDT 2009


On 08/13/2009 01:09:19 PM, Michael B. Trausch wrote:
> On Thu, 13 Aug 2009, Jim Popovitch wrote:
> 
> > On Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 11:06, aaron<aaron at pd.org>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> While I'm an Open Source advocate who _DOES_ see the
> big picture,
> >> in this particular case I'm still going to take some
> gloating
> >> satisfaction in the justice of it.
> >
> > Who looses in this?  Microsoft?  hardly.   You wait and
> see... some
> > small business will soon be on CNN/CNBC claiming that
> stupid patent
> > enforcement laws prevented them from
> using/upgrading/securing MS Word
> > and that MS Word should never be encumbered again by
> threat of patents
> > (because after all M$ has a recent history of saying
> that they
> > wouldn't go after some obscure OS's user base....).
> 
> What I hope is that they _don't_ overcome it.  I hope the
> patent that was
> enforced here is not licensed reasonably, and takes full
> advantage of its
> rights under the current patent system.  This will only
> serve to show how
> ludicris this whole bloody thing is.
> 
> Imagine, if one laughable patent can cause Microsoft to
> become compelled
> to stop selling Microsoft Word, what would happen if all
> of the other
> likely lurking patents they infringe on began enforcement
> proceedings
> against them?
> 
> This is the time for patent trolls to kick up their
> activity and go after
> the deep pockets.  They'll make their money, and soon
> enough, they'll
> serve no further purpose.  This will only set the stage
> for SCOTUS to rule
> most excellently on the pending case before them.

While I can hope that SCOTUS puts a serious kibosh on the  
patent trolls and kicks the patent system around into a  
somewhat healthier orientation, I don't see it happening  
_soon_, nor do I see SCOTUS making the _fundamental_  
changes that I think need to be made (that being the job of  
the US Congress)

/sarcasm
What? Me completely distrust the legal system and the  
practitioners working therein?
/endsarcasm



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