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Overture Sues Google Over Pay-for-Placement Patent
Ana anonymous submitter wrote: "C|Net News is reporting that Overture is suing Google over its AdWords advertising method since it may be infringing upon Patent 6,269,361 'System and method for influencing a position on a search result list generated by a computer network search engine'."
"Basically we've analyzed the patent and determined that we do not infringe on any valid claim that it contains,"
Translation: Your patent sucks ass and we have the money to prove it.
Burn Hollywood Burn
Oh please, read the patent.
"A system and method for enabling information providers using a computer network such as the Internet to influence a position for a search listing within a search result list generated by an Internet search engine. "
That's Google's entire scheme right there! They use the Internet, they have a system, they're using a computer network, they generate search listings and most importantly they influence the position of the search entries in exactly the manner that that patented algorithm taught them to!
Why do you think they've been so successful?
Someone named an OS for me.
If I take a patent out for a "large spherical 'star-island' inhabited with wondrous bacterial-like organisms on top of it's surface" would I then be within my right to own Earth?
Just think of all the Environmentalists I could sue!
This wasn't just plain terrible, this was fancy terrible. This was terrible with raisins in it. - Dorothy Parker
How is "give us money and we'll rank you higher" an original contribution to art and science? It reminds me of the feminist character at the frat party at the end of PCU, with the dawning realization, "You mean, if you're nice to [males], they bring you stuff?"
It's days like this, where I'm almost ready to write my Senator and try and take an active role, that I look at the decisions being made and say to myself, fuck it, we're too late.
You cannot apply a technological solution to a sociological problem. (Edwards' Law)
Can I get a patent for a method and system for taking out vague, simplistic patents for the sole purpose of extortion?
If their results are based on how much the site pays, then under what circumstances would they produce more accurate hits than almost any other algorithm for ranking sites?
If no one uses them for searches, then why would web sites pay them money for listing?
I can't see how their business model would work, except if they can make money by suing others.
Ah, now I see how their business model works.
It sounds like someone patented the "corruption of the results of one's own search engine."
What the hell kind of patent is that?
:)
(begin violation)
SELECT * FROM Matches ORDER BY BribeAmt DESC
(end violation)
Table-ized A.I.
Considering current USPTO policies, it may not be too late to patent these ideas. These innovations are still major opportunities for enterprising developers to generate licensing revenue and help stimulate our economy. I call first dibs on hashtables.
It's days like this, where I'm almost ready to write my Senator and try and take an active role, that I look at the decisions being made and say to myself, fuck it, we're too late.
Actually, you're not too late... it's never too late to get law changed. Senators and congressmen do not need "prior art" to prove "pay me for top priotity" is not patentable because they've been doing that for decades!! That's way before the internet became common.
So there ya go.