Apple deal with a patent troll

[ambrown]

This is the most disturbing thing I've read today:
http://m.techcrunch.com/2011/12/09/apple-made-a-deal-with-the-devil-no-worse-a-patent-troll/
This whole patent issue has gotten so ridiculous that this is what we've come to? There should be some protection against consortiums like this. We need trust buster-like laws for the 21st Century.

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[Droid X Doug]

This is the most disturbing thing I've read today:
AOL Error Page
This whole patent issue has gotten so ridiculous that this is what we've come to? There should be some protection against consortiums like this. We need trust buster-like laws for the 21st Century.

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Patent trolls are part of a continuum of tools to use for achieving a particular objective. "War is the continuation of policy by other means." - Carl von Clausewitz

 

[bogginblazer]

This is soo unbelievable how is this allowed. But then look at ford and what they did to the guy who who invented the automatic windshield wipers.

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[Droid X Doug]

This is soo unbelievable how is this allowed. But then look at ford and what they did to the guy who who invented the automatic windshield wipers.

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The patent litigation environment is kind of analogous to the wild west of the past. Non-practicing entities are a direct response to the abuse that infringers like Ford pursued in the wiper-delay example. Money can be made, and investors will go where they feel they can make a superior return.

 

[kodiak799]

I don't really see an issue with it. Basically, Apple is protecting it's intellectual property and then off-loading the enforcement/litigation of its patents to someone with a vested interest in pursuing that. Makes perfect sense for Apple or any other such company. Really just a form of retainer on contigency.

Although perhaps it is worth looking into the economic value of such entities. Transfer of intellectual property should perhaps be unencumbered and at fair market value to prevent such patent trolling. In other words, if this company had to pay fair market value for the patent and Apple lost any and all rights (i.e. no sweetheart or guaranteed licensing deal) then such deals never happen.

 

[MissionImprobable]

Honestly, movies like Screamers and games like Armored Core where corporations wage full-scale war with each other don't seem so far-fetched with the way all this crap is going. I could see people getting pissed enough to decide to take up arms against a sea of troubles in a case like this.

As has been said in many other threads, it's the patent system that needs to be fixed because much of what has been allowed patents would be akin to a car manufacturer patenting "a vehicle whose doors are opened by means of levered handles." Ludicrous.