What is Digg?196 Comments
- canthraxp, on 11/29/2007, -2/+120Great, now we will have to input passwords three times.
- CraigJ, on 11/29/2007, -1/+107It should be a lot harder to get a patent on something. Patenting 2 passwords? That is seriously lame and the judge that let that stand should be fired. I work for a large company that got stung by this in Texas. I talked at length with our attorney about how the case went down, it is unbelievable how low the bar is for some of this stuff is - it violates common sense. I also think patents should have a use it or lose it clause. If you patent something, you need to be actively licensing the technology or producing a product or the patent should expire.
- crapmatic, on 11/29/2007, -1/+86In my profession, there is a very large company run by sharks which managed to successfully patent some rather simple mathematical algorithms (basically plotting points on a map based on X/Y data). I am tired of seeing trivial ***** like this get patented. The patent system is incredibly out of control, and everyone at the USPTO should lose their jobs.
- TapeMan, on 11/29/2007, -9/+82In an age where we can sue for everything, might as well go for the gold and sue Microsoft.
- CraigJ, on 11/29/2007, -5/+57are you stupid or just a troll? (or both)
- lewbloch, on 11/29/2007, -9/+56This article is right on the mark with its commentary - very smart analysis and about time someone said so.
- smackkmonkey, on 11/29/2007, -2/+43Is it really that easy to patent troll? If so, I'm in!
- KaivenTor, on 11/29/2007, -0/+41I hate patent trolls. "Oh, look, I combined 2 ideas that everyone knows about and came up with something entirely new! I'm a genius and you must pay me for it!" Give me a ******** break. Companies like this are what the patent office was supposed to be protecting against. Then again, I guess in this day and age the patent office needs all the money it can get it's hands on considering it's one of the government's most underfunded agencies.
That doesn't excuse the courts though. - KaptainKandy, on 11/29/2007, -11/+49Yet another "cheeky" comment bashing the US on Digg. Sorry but bashing America just isn't as cool as it used to be.
- wellyuk, on 11/29/2007, -4/+40Firstly, I'm from the UK.
Mooseontheloose, that is utter *****. This disease is live and kicking in this country and gets worse daily. While we aren't guilty of suing for spilling coffee on ones' self (yet), these accident lawyers are becoming more and more apparent and I regularly am approached by them on the streets asking if I've hurt myself. Well, yes I have, but it was my on ***** fault.
But aside from that, British youths are the laziest, uneducated, arrogant bastards I've ever met in my life. They're concerned about one thing - getting pissed on the weekend. Anything else is irrelevant. Job centres are filled with lazy, white British Daily Mail readers who get their weekly dole, and then complain about immigrants taking all the jobs. What a load of bollocks. There are jobs out there, those ***** just can not be bothered to get one.
I'm leaving this country in just over a week and I can't wait to see the back of it. We're ripped off at every opportunity, British people have absolutely no taste or class and it's full of xenophobic wankers. We're the laughing stock of Europe and we're not even fully committed to it! Our industry is going down the pan. What do we actually have to offer the world anymore? ***** all from where I'm sat. Anyone with a good idea is unable to turn it into a profitable business so they ***** off elsewhere. And good on them.
Oh, and the weather is *****. No wonder we're a bunch of whinging, miserable, bitter, cold hearted bastards.
***** this country. - MerryMortician, on 11/29/2007, -2/+35just like toothbrushes.
- derek20cali, on 11/29/2007, -9/+42He is just bitter we kicked their asses in the Revolutionary War :).
- noahhoward, on 11/29/2007, -3/+31Actually, I hold the patent on that. Four too.
- FutureGuy, on 11/29/2007, -0/+24Does anyone know the patent number?
I have an idea, I am going to patent patenting, all your bases and now belong to me ;) - timster, on 11/29/2007, -0/+23Sorry, I have already patented the idea of patenting patenting.
See you in court! - KaptainKandy, on 11/29/2007, -3/+26Google works too. Viacom I'm looking at you.
- edwartica, on 11/29/2007, -0/+22I agree. Its like Paris Hilton buying a trademark for the phrase "that's hot." Sorry, but that's not something you can buy.
- Nougat, on 11/29/2007, -0/+20Five is right out.
- unearth, on 11/29/2007, -0/+19Ah yes, the patent records here show you filed that one on Smarch 4+2i, √2007
- bbtweb, on 11/29/2007, -1/+19It's not only disgusting that there are companies out there like Z4 that have such pathetic missions that they acquire patents for the main purpose of suing anyone who tries to improve existing technology, but it's even more disturbing that in the current system, some can patent something as lame as a two password authentication.
I guess under the current system it's a good thing any company like Z4 doesn't own the patent to pop-up windows in vista that constantly ask the user for permission to do anything. - Chakat, on 11/29/2007, -2/+18Live by the patent sword, die by the patent sword. Considering all the ***** MS is spewing regarding their software patents, I can only laugh at this.
- yodaj007, on 11/29/2007, -1/+17I have a patent on using an irrational or imaginary number of passwords.
- inactive, on 11/29/2007, -0/+15As much as I hate Microsoft, this just seems pretty ridiculous. The US patent system is a ***** joke, and it needs a complete overhaul. If that means Microsoft avoids being on the receiving end of this kind of nonsense as well, then so be it.
Frankly, I think they need to hire some qualified, competent technical minds to review these things if the government is going to allow software patents to exist at all. Better yet, trash that ***** entirely. - c0ldfusi0n, on 11/29/2007, -3/+18Twenty Canadian dollars to the first American who sues him.
- Francky, on 11/29/2007, -0/+15Actually, Autodesk also got taken to the cleaners, so this isn't about just the windows activation system, but really what was stated, it's the act of asking for a password after said software is installed... Autodesk's software 3dsmax uses that "process" also... Process, wow, asking for a password, thats genius :p A lot more companies could have been sued, I can think of a ton. This patent shouldn't have been given, thats obvious. The judge was a moron.
- raynar, on 11/29/2007, -1/+15What at all in the title made you think that?
- nonymous666, on 11/29/2007, -0/+14I have a patent on 3 + 1/2. Just in case.
- SignorDildo, on 11/29/2007, -0/+13I've worked in software development and I can say that, over the past 7 years, the job of a developer is fraught with danger because of the idiotic USPTO and the greedy bastard trolling puffmeat wankstains. Any non-trivial project now has to seriously consider patent infringement during the design stage, but, because there are so many idiotic USPTO accepted patent applications, it is almost impossible for a developer to ensure that a project doesn't somehow accidentally infringe anyone elses "Intellectual Property".
This situation has become a joke. The USPTO is a piss-stain on the world. - moskaudancer, on 11/29/2007, -0/+13Umm... We didn't fight the UK in the Vietnam War... we fought North Vietnam.
- psyjoniz, on 11/29/2007, -0/+12i click 'Bury as innacurate', not sure what you do.
- nonymous666, on 11/29/2007, -0/+12Yup, there are companies out there that have departments who are tasked with inventing new technologies just so the technologies can be patented and then put 'on the shelf'. The intent is to invent isomething before the competition does, then sit on the patent so the competition can't use it, even if the company that has the patent has no intent of ever using it themselves.
- inactive, on 11/29/2007, -0/+11Everybody.
- Kishoba, on 11/29/2007, -6/+17Nobody else find this absolutely ludicrous and just another example of the downfall of our patent system?
- init100, on 11/29/2007, -0/+11You need to acquire some patents first. And preferably get a legal education.
- insllvn, on 11/29/2007, -0/+11You couldn't even make that joke before anyone else.
- inactive, on 11/29/2007, -4/+14are you sad the sun doesn't shine on your empire anymore and has set for good? go play fake kings & queens
- giid, on 11/29/2007, -0/+10Anyone care to link to the patents or the court decision so we can read them for ourselves?
- j4200, on 11/29/2007, -0/+10Only in the US. Here in Canada we're a little less sue happy. Up here you can't get away with suing somebody because you broke your leg while breaking into their home.
- LeRenard, on 11/29/2007, -0/+9But the length of time those patents are exclusive is no where near in line with the typical life cycle and advancement rate of software.
- blatantninja, on 11/29/2007, -1/+10The law needs to be changed so that 1) If you have a company that simply holds patents, the patent becomes invalid, and 2) If you hold a patent but don't use it within a reasonable period of time, it becomes invalid.
- SpyDerMann, on 11/29/2007, -1/+10No, that's not it! The law needs to be changed so that 1) ALL Software patents are invalid. Period.
- noumuon, on 11/29/2007, -0/+9as much as a i hate patent trolls, this is partly microsoft's fault for fighting for software patents in the first place. software should never have become patentable.
- bentrinh, on 11/29/2007, -1/+9Unless you're the RIAA. Then, anything goes.
- joebob, on 11/29/2007, -0/+8Description of the patent was oversimplified for effect I would think, but not by a tremendous amount. I would have to say from the language in the link, the entire patent should be invalidated as obvious and logically derivative of processes long in use. Then again common sense has nothing to do with our patent or legal system.
- ryllharu, on 11/29/2007, -0/+8There *are* already portions of patent law that do not allow for patents on things that are classified as "Obvious."
From Wikipedia:
For example, in 1999, Smuckers attempted to patent peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with crimped edges instead of crusts. This invention was challenged in court by Albie's Foods in 2001, and the court ruled that the crimping method, which was essentially the same as that used for ravioli, was an obvious means of protecting the contents of the sandwich. The patent was therefore voided for failing the nonobviousness test.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inventive_step_and_no ...
It's fascinating stuff, but unfortunately, it's written in so much legalese that things "obvious" to us are not "obvious" to the patent office. - murf43143, on 11/29/2007, -2/+9As much as I hate M$, that Z4 company and any other patent troll can suck my balls.
- psyjoniz, on 11/29/2007, -3/+10Nope, apparently you are the only one.
- GeekSwag, on 11/29/2007, -0/+7Dear Mr. KaivenTor,
The use of asterisks (*) to replace profane words is patent of Geek Swag LLC as defined by the US Patent Office (P3227A-32, P3227A-37, and P3227B-39). Please cease and desist any further use of the above stated and patented terms/symbols. Failure to do so will result in you owing Geek Swag LLC $32,000,000 per offense.
Regards,
GeekSwag - jesperhh, on 11/29/2007, -0/+7I think the article oversimplified the case a bit too much, at least they could have included a link to the patent. I think i found it though:
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6785825.html?high ... - newmediaMike, on 11/29/2007, -0/+6So if I patented setting up a company to to buy and hold patents could I sue Z4 for infringing my patented business model?
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