Yahoo! Sues Xfire For Patent Infringement

CheesyPeteza writes "GameSpot is reporting that the popular game messenger client Xfire is being sued by Yahoo for patent infringement. The patent was originally granted to two Yahoo employees who developed GameProwler for Yahoo Messenger. It describes a system which "allows users to use a game server in connection with a messenger server to permit 'buddies' to know when other 'buddies' are playing games online, and easily join such games." One of these employees then left Yahoo to work for Xfire. Xfire denies infringing on Yahoo's patent, but with the costs estimated at $2 million to defend this cas, will the startup company Xfire be able to stand up to the Yahoo giant?"

Comments

Gamespy is guilty too

[X0563511]

Well, then Gamespy is guilty. Buddy Tracker and Chat system. Integrated (if you are subscribed)

So is Steam. Buddy system and Chat system. (integrated)

So are half-a-dozen other serverbrowsers that have a buddy list.

What a stupid patent! This is why patents should not be allowed to exist in software.

Shove this patent up your @#$

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

allows users to use a game server in connection with a messenger server to permit 'buddies' to know when other 'buddies' are playing games online, and easily join such games

Oh you mean, kind of like when you join IRC and you say "hey John, you're there? how about we go on Playsite for a nice game of gin eh?"

I was doing that (or some version of that, before Playsite was around) for at least a decade. Which leads to the following questions:

Does is look like prior art or what?

Since I'm not particularly bright for having "invented" that method, and everybody and their dogs has been doing it forever because it's freaking obvious, does this patent look like yet another something-that-I-may-sue-someone-over-in-the-futur e patent application?

Shouldn't they replace the monkeys at the USPTO by humans at some point?

Re:Shove this patent up your @#$

[maglor_83]

Shouldn't they replace the monkeys at the USPTO by humans at some point?

Maybe they should replace the humans with monkeys.

Re:Yes

[RonnyJ]

This might be a dupe, but the other article only recieved 23 comments since being posted yesterday, probably since it wasn't posted as a headline on the main page (and I for one didn't see it). To me, it does seem like a topic that should be on the front page.

At least now, a lot more people will notice it, and offer more opinions/information on the matter than in the previous posting.

Re:I'm gonna say what I said last time.

[westlake]

What do you think?

I think there is nothing in this world more unlikely than a successful gamer-geek boycott launched from Slashdot.
It's like trying to herd cats.

Defensive patenting

[gcaseye6677]

Let this be a lesson to anyone who thinks big companies will only use patents "defensively". I guess defending the company from competition is part of defensive patent strategy.

Re:Sue the USPTO

[Sebby]

Has anyone considered a lawsuit against the USPTO for issuing frivolous patents, hence necessitating enormous legal costs for the patent "infringers"?


I've been saying this here quite a lot, as I don't see the fairness of the monkeys at the PTO creating a mess that someone else has to pay to clean up (or simply "pay for").

I wish a group of companies that were shutdown, sued out of existence, or whatever would sue the patent office after patents to were used to shut these companies down was proved invalid.

Then the PTO might finally realize software patents are going to be a liability to the PTO.

But there is only stumbling block: apparently there's an idiotic law that says you can't sue the goverment without the government's approval (as if the government 'could do not wrong!'), so we're left with the monkeys stamping everything that comes across their desks.

Maybe I should pay my taxes with bananas this year....