SONICblue Sues TiVo for Patent Infringement

SVDave writes "Yesterday, Slashdot reported that SONICblue was going to start negotiating patent licensing with TiVo. It appears that SONICblue has switched strategies: today they've decided to sue TiVo for patent infringement. Given TiVo's patents on PVR technology, I would expect a quick countersuit, though SONICblue claims that ReplayTV does not infringe on any of TiVo's patents."

Comments

Patents ?

[AftanGustur]

And just how is this patent-circus supposed to be good for the economy ?

Re:Patents ?

[Rogerborg]

• And just how is this patent-circus supposed to be good for the economy ?

There are more lawyers in the USA than there are gas pumps. There are more law students in college than are currently in practice. Half of both Congress and the Senate are members of the American Bar Association, as were the previous President and her husband. The winner of the most recent Presidential election studied at Vanderbilt Law School, and the people who gave the Presidency to the other guy were all law graduates.

Won't someone please think of the lawyers!

Re:Gee, this is cute.

[Rogerborg]

• competition is pretty much grounds for a lawsuit these days

Breathing is pretty much grounds for a lawsuit these days.

Our entire retail and service sector economy is based on giving half of our money to lawyers, and letting them decide where to spend it.

I'm not exaggerating for effect. More lawyers than gas pumps, more law students than practicing lawyers, 50% of Congress and Senate are members of the American Bar Association, as was President Clinton and her husband, as were the people who chose Bush as President over the other candidate, what's-his-name, the one who'd been to law school.

Is it any wonder that we're so screwed? Separation of powers my huge hairy ass. The USPTO is just one of the more visible aspects of having Government that is By the Lawyers, Of the Lawyers and For the Lawyers.