Radical Surgery to Fix Software Patents
I’m from the camp that says we’re way past the point of patents fostering innovation, if they ever did. It didn’t take me long reading Scoble’s post this morning about the value of WebOS’s patents to HP possibly making the unit a profitable venture to be reminded once again that while patents may be a […]
The Wealthy Pirate VC
Having been in the software business all my life, I’m no stranger to the idea that many people think it’s okay to steal digital property. After all, it costs virtually nothing to manufacture another copy, so the reasoning goes, and so therefore the owner isn’t out anything. It’s an unenlightened and unsophisticated rationalization of what, […]
Software Patents Should Be Abolished
Still think patents are about protecting the little guy? The USPTO now takes an average of 6 years to grant a patent (hat tip to Techmeme). In the long run, you’ll likely get your patent since almost anything is patentable these days, however outlandish it may be. But in the long run, we’re all dead, […]
The Fallacy called Patents -Time To Discipline!
Vivek Wadhwa writes,”Patents make a lot of sense in many industries; they are needed to protect the designs of important components or design of physical products. But in software these are just nuclear weapons in an arms race. They don’t foster innovation, they inhibit it. He adds, That’s because things change rapidly in this industry. […]
NTP is the New SCO
NTP, the shell company whose only business is to extract ransom from real businesses does not sit on the $600 they extorted from RIM. They are now suing just about all the smartphone industry: Apple, Google, HTC, Microsoft, LG and Motorola. Is NTP the new SCO? Related posts: NTP Sues Apple, Google, Microsoft And Others […]
Microsoft Sues Salesforce.com
I just got a copy of a brief Microsoft filed in the U.S. District in Seattle alleging that Salesforce.com infringed on nine of Microsoft’s patents. It’s not clear at this writing how valid a case Microsoft has, nor has there been any official response from Salesforce.com posted on the company’s website. So a full analysis […]
Our “patently absurd” patent system
While my book is not specifically about patents, a book that focuses on innovation and grand challenges would be remiss to not point what a “grand challenge” it would be fix our patent system. Some excerpts about patents from The New Polymath The Wall Street Journal in an editorial summarized the mess the patent system […]
The Problem with Software Patents
Software patents are a disaster for innovation. The system is asymmetrical, in the sense that it is very expensive to defend against a patent suit. At the same time, it is very easy to get a patent on almost anything, including things people have no business getting patents on. I have a friend who was […]
News Analysis: Rimini Street Countersues Oracle
Rimini Street Counter Suit Focuses On Ensuring Customer Rights To Third Party Maintenance (3PM)
On March 29th, 2010, Rimini Street sued Oracle for “counterclaims alleging copyright misuse, defamation, disparagement, trade libel, and unfair competition”. The lawsuit was filed as a counter to Oracle’s February 26th, 2010 suit of Rimini Street for Intellectual Property (IP) theft. While […]
Monday’s Musings: Why Users Must Preserve Their Third Party Maintenance Rights
Apps Users Seek Third Party Maintenance For Cost, Value, and Service Updated surveys from inquiries, client conversations, and user group meetings show a 113.8% increase in interest in third party maintenance (3PM) services from Q3 2009 to Q1 2010 (see Figure 1). Key factors stem from (see Figure 2.): Continuing cost pressures. Budgets continue to […]
