Slashdot Mirror
Another Attack, On Law Firm Suing China
An anonymous reader writes "In the wake of the attack on Google, another company claims to be the victim of a similar attack. Gipson Hoffman & Pancione is a Los Angeles law firm whose client, CYBERsitter, is suing the government of China and several Chinese companies for using their intellectual property in the infamous Green Dam censorship filter. According to the firm, they have been targeted by a spear phishing attack from China." Relatedly, smartaleckkill writes with news that the US state department is to formally protest to China over the alleged cyber-attacks on Google, "likely early next week."
Both large companies examine their large patent portfolios and threaten each other with any infringing patents found.
This effectively increases the chances they'll come to an agreement instead of fight out each "infringement" suit in court. The costs of the lawsuits is always less than the price of coming to an agreement. The real looser is the consumer who will now have to pay more for products due to the costs of the companies throwing around their patent weights.
(Also note: Lack of a huge patent portfolio ensures that inventors who naturally have less bargaining chips never win at the big boy's table.)
Don't be sucked in by the Propaganda!
Why is this being treated like it is a big event? This sort of thing has been going on for years, probably more commonly from the US toward China.. How about some balanced reporting? Don't clog up Slashdot every time something technology related appears on the net!
Great post! I would just like to add that Point #1 has already happened to some extent.
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
I say if they don't stop it we make them take Hilary.