Epicrealm Uses Vague Patents to sue Web Sites

An anonymous reader writes "InfoSpinner/epicRealm holds two patents that basically describe every dynamic Web site in existence and is now using them to sue companies like eHarmony. This patent seems to describe a standard web/application server setup. This one describes 'dynamically generating a Web page in response to the request, the Web page including data dynamically retrieved from one or more data sources.' If enforced, these patents could shut down almost every dynamic site on the Internet, including the USPTO."

Comments

It will only get worse

[Nuclear Elephant]

If enforced, these patents could shut down almost every dynamic site on the Internet, including the USPTO

Perhaps that would facilitate some change. It seems that, throughout history, things only got better after they got much worse. Gas prices will probably continue soaring until we have a Boston Gas Party (which will probably be a lot more fun than the Boston Tea Party - at least in the south). The combination of asinine software patents and litigious bastards will most likely continue on too, at least until things get so bad that some as insane as suing the USPTO actually does happen - or until we have our own little patent reform party =)

Re:It will only get worse

[alvinrod]

I absolutely agree. Eventually the weight of legal cases that are self-evident bullshit will break the camel's back. Until that time, however, coorperations won't even be able to cross the street without having someone sue them.

If the big companies in favor of software patents are at all interested in keeping those patents I suggest that they help the system out by getting rid of vague patents that can apply to almost anything, much like the case here.

Judges should also start fining corperations that bring frivilous suits against other companies based on such patents. Offending companies will pay a fine of at least $100,000 as well as paying for the legal fees associated with the case. Money collected will go to education for the poor. Lawyers dumb enough to file said suit will be barred from practicing law in the United States for a period of time no less than 2 years and possibly deported to the sun.

Foreign countries (like China) should blatantly ignore other patents of asshat corperations that practice patent litigation for profit effectively eliminating an oversees business for that company. If they complain, a letter comprised of the 372 ways in which that person/company is a complete asshat/fuckwad/douche/other derogatory name will be sent back to them at their own expense.

In times like these it is society's responsibility to discourage this type of moronic behavior be any means necessary. Maybe once the world has gotten it drilled into the thick skulls of these moronic bufoons that such behavior is frowned upon, we can go back to business as normal. Until such a time, soulless goons like these will continue to take advantage of the system at the expense of everyone else.

Re:It will only get worse

[Rakshasa Taisab]

Actually, gas prices will continue to soar. We are at, or have already passed, peak oil production. The remaining oil reserviors will be more expensive to extract, demand will keep rising as production plumets.

You can have as big a party as you want, it won't solve the problem. About patents?... Dunno... Seems to me those with capital are getting more and more political power as regular people keep watching Idol.

Re:Blame the Lawyers

[NoOneInParticular]

And how does the studying of patentese further the progression of technology? If a patent cannot be understood by a person skilled in the art, it is 100% useless as a means of disclosure of an invention. As disclosure is the reason we have patent law in the first place, this argument seems to contradict the existence of patents.