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**Thigmaswams** · 08-13-2009, 03:08 AM

There is a reason MicroSoft is a virtual monopoly. They've crushed every company they've come up against.

Like here, stealing someone else's technology.

I don't think you comprehend. This isn't stealing someone else's technology.

The company filed an incomprehensibly broad patent to something that is fairly frickin obvious. It took 5 years for the patent to be granted, and in the limbo between that MS applied for (and 8 months after this company's, was granted) a much more specific patent. Both patents were ruled valid, but according to this judgment this company's patent is a superset of MS'.

It's not about stealing technology. Unfortunately, this kind of **** is very common. Shotgun-style patent applications that cover anything and everything. Then you find out someone is "violating" the patent years later and demand the moon from companies, then settle it for hundreds of millions of dollars.

How can anyone support Microsoft?? And how can you guys say, if MS has been stealing software, then the patent laws -- which protect inventors and inventions -- must be scraped? Patents are so important, they're written into the Constitution! Strongly suggest you figure out the basic meanings of the words you are using. As a lawyer, I shouldn't have to tell you this. Patent infringement is not the same as "stealing technology". I strongly suggest you look into the history of technology patent trolls. These are not people 'stealing technology', it's a tiny company trying to cash in.

Look at the video game scene. For years, all video game consoles came with vibration/rumble support: Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft all did it. It's not a very difficult concept, but apparently some tiny no-name company patented the idea in the 90s sometime and waited til the industry was worth many billions of dollars, then had a massive payday as all of the big players were forced to pay hundreds of millions of dollars for "stealing" their technology to add vibration devices to game controllers.

I've no problem with software & technology patents in general, just absurdly general patents (like this one).

08-13-2009, 03:08 AM	#8
Thigmaswams Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 481 Senior Member	There is a reason MicroSoft is a virtual monopoly. They've crushed every company they've come up against. Like here, stealing someone else's technology. I don't think you comprehend. This isn't stealing someone else's technology. The company filed an incomprehensibly broad patent to something that is fairly frickin obvious. It took 5 years for the patent to be granted, and in the limbo between that MS applied for (and 8 months after this company's, was granted) a much more specific patent. Both patents were ruled valid, but according to this judgment this company's patent is a superset of MS'. It's not about stealing technology. Unfortunately, this kind of **** is very common. Shotgun-style patent applications that cover anything and everything. Then you find out someone is "violating" the patent years later and demand the moon from companies, then settle it for hundreds of millions of dollars. How can anyone support Microsoft?? And how can you guys say, if MS has been stealing software, then the patent laws -- which protect inventors and inventions -- must be scraped? Patents are so important, they're written into the Constitution! Strongly suggest you figure out the basic meanings of the words you are using. As a lawyer, I shouldn't have to tell you this. Patent infringement is not the same as "stealing technology". I strongly suggest you look into the history of technology patent trolls. These are not people 'stealing technology', it's a tiny company trying to cash in. Look at the video game scene. For years, all video game consoles came with vibration/rumble support: Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft all did it. It's not a very difficult concept, but apparently some tiny no-name company patented the idea in the 90s sometime and waited til the industry was worth many billions of dollars, then had a massive payday as all of the big players were forced to pay hundreds of millions of dollars for "stealing" their technology to add vibration devices to game controllers. I've no problem with software & technology patents in general, just absurdly general patents (like this one).
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