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Netflix Granted Patent on DVD Subscription Rentals

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the almost-as-bad-as-one-click dept.

A few folks noted a new patent showing up from netflix. They apparently now have a patent on their model of subscribing to rentals- where instead of being charged per disc, you are charged a monthly fee and can keep the rentals indefinitely without late fees. You can patent anything! Get on the bus!

6 of 638 comments (clear)

  1. How broad is this patent? by nurd666 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Does this patent only cover DVD rentals? I'd hate to see a site like gamefly get hurt over this if the patent is broad enough to include all media rentals with the same scheme.

  2. Tomorrow's Headline by Remik · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Walmart To Buy NetFlix.

    They've succeeded in making themselves worth buying, kudos.

    -R

  3. Re:Walmart... haha! by Sanity · · Score: 5, Insightful
    While it may be a BS patent, it's nice to see a large corporation get screwed by a patent for once
    Don't be silly, large corporations don't get hurt by patents - sheesh.

    Patents are for keeping out those pesky small innovative companies who can't affort to go to court and don't have their own patent portfolio so that they can force cross-licensing.

  4. Patent will be challenged. by siskbc · · Score: 5, Insightful
    While it may be a BS patent, it's nice to see a large corporation get screwed by a patent for once.

    Expect Wal-mart to fucking bend Netflix over. I get your "pull for the little man" thing. On the other hand, I'm glad a relatively large company (Netflix) finally pulled this patent crap against a company that's actually going to challenge the patent, as opposed to a mom-and-pop who can't fight back.

    --

    -Looking for a job as a materials chemist or multivariat

  5. Re:Walmart... haha! by zzzmarcus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You're showing your ignorance to basic capitalism.

    BS patent or not, Netflix having a patent on this method of DVD rentals kills the competition--whether it comes from a Big Corporation or otherwise. A lack of competition is ALWAYS bad for the consumer. In the end, it's not WalMart who's getting screwed, it's you.

  6. Re:PATENT SOURCE by TopShelf · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So you're OK with a WalMart coming along with all their resources and wiping out NetFlix as soon as they see that a market is there worth taking? Yeesh, so much for innovation!

    I can understand giving somebody an 18 year monopoly on a product that required lots of money spent on R&D, but allowing any bright idea to be patented is just idiotic.

    Well, that pretty much writes off any small inventor. If you have to pour $X into R&D to get a patent, you've basically walled off a class of innovators from ever bringing their ideas to market.

    --
    Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more