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Hard Drive Imports to be Banned?
Arathon writes "Apparently the International Trade Commission is beginning an investigation that could lead to the banning of hard drive imports from Western Digital, Seagate, and Toshiba, among others, on the grounds that they fundamentally violate patents held by Steven and Mary Reiber of California. The patent apparently has to do with "dissipative ceramic bonding tips", which are important components of the drives themselves.
Obviously, a ban would be unthinkable, and yet the ITC has 45 days to settle on a fixed date for the end of the investigation. If the patents are found to be violated, and the Reibers do not allow those patents to be bought or otherwise dealt with, the importation of almost all hard drives would actually be ceased."
Well, at least it will give the drug smugglers something to diversify into as they try to ship contraband hard drives across the US border. Although I'm not certain how well the "body cavity" approach would work... ouch.
Never email donotemail@WeAreSpammers.com
I am an IT Manager:
Oh shit, Maxtor wasn't on the list - PLEASE GOD: please don't make system builders install Maxtor drives, I have enough to worry about without the possibility of random drive failures within the next 6 months - 2 years.
I am an independent computer support engineer:
YES! I look forward to a massive jump in hard disk replacement business within the next 6 months - 2 years.
AT&ROFLMAO
Not to worry. The platters are round and hold digital media. The RIAA is bound to get involved somehow ...
Bark less. Wag more.
Who are these Right's brothers you mention? If they where right extremists I think it was the right decision to violate their patents rights right away.
I think their the guys hew think they invented the plain, though in fact it was George Ceilidh.
Guy don't know how to write Wright right.
Two wrongs do not a wright make, good sir...
...and it should be known by now
... but two wrights make an airplane!
Throw the bums out!
Encryption's been classified as munitions, so wouldn't a hard drive be classifiable too?
That depends on the velocity of the hard drive.
You risk extreme ridicule for:
a) having read the article
b) having read the patents
c) having a rational post concerning patents
This is Slashdot, where Chicken Little is an optimist.
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