Charlie Northrup's One-Man Patent Grab Continues

FirstEdition writes "Will this never end! Linux Business & Technology writes that Charlie Northrup, the guy in New Jersey whose prior art on what looks to be Web services dates back to 1994 and appears to trump anybody else's IP, has gotten another patent. Of course, he has transferred the IP to a spin off company populated mostly by lawyers. More details here."

Comments

I think we are missing the point...

[atgrim]

It is an exercise in futility to continually castigate the guy about prior art this and prior art that. As everyone should know, the patent office is slow as snot in mid-winter while technology just now shifted into third gear with 4 more to go.

Technology is advancing so fast that any patent filed today would be nearly obsolete by the time it is finally awarded. Also, according to the story, the PTO went through this patent with a fine toothed comb. That added even more time. All the while, technology is speeding forward.

Wether you like it or not, his patents *appear* to be valid and no amount of whining will change that. This is something that is going to have to be decided in court. Yes, IBM patents everything under the sun as well but no one seems to bitch about them. "Hey, it's IBM. It's what they do." Get over it. Even IBM might not be able to get around this one.

One guy had the fore-thought and insight to think of web services before web services was even a solid concept. So what. Making fun of him with idiotic theories will not change matters. Get over it.

What I am saying, is that every now and again individuals, with out the help from multi-billion dollar conglomerates, can sometimes come up with multi-billion dollar ideas. Get over it. Move on. Nothing to see here.