Slashdot Mirror
CSIRO Sues US Carriers Over Wi-Fi Patent
An anonymous reader notes that CSIRO has sued Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile in — wait for it — East Texas District Court. "Australia's peak science body stands to reap more than $1 billion from its lucrative Wi-Fi patent after already netting about $250 million from the world's biggest technology companies, an intellectual property lawyer says. The CSIRO has spent years battling 14 technology giants including Dell, HP, Microsoft, Intel, Nintendo, and Toshiba for royalties and made a major breakthrough in April last year when the companies opted to avoid a jury hearing and settle for an estimated $250 million. Now, the organization is bringing the fight to the top three US mobile carriers in a new suit targeting Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile. It argues they have been selling devices that infringe its patents."
You're obviously not an Australian. We don't use 'z' we use 's'.. As in Aussie.. as in the place isn't freakin' called "Auztralia", you insensitive clod!
Shameful as it is, it appears most large companies are happy to tolerate the extortion engendered by our patent system.
The system has two primary "unintended" effects in its current incarnation. First, it permits casual extortion, by which opportunists may demand compensation for endeavors in which they played no role. Second, it prevents small-scale competitors from becoming actual competitors, as any significantly threatening upstart can be shut down or acquired easily via patent infringement suits (these are only violations in a technical sense; it is impossible to write even the simplest computer program without unknowingly infringing on numerous trivial patents).
Because patents provide such an easy and relatively cheap way to shut down upstart competitors, established companies are unlikely to contest it -- so long as the casual, low-scale extortion (from patent trolls and from each other) remains at a level that is less damaging than new competitors would be.
Yeah, Slashdot, you hold his attention by pretending to eat his shorts and I'll shove this shotgun up his ass. Bet the fag's never felt a load like that before!
Are you saying they're only suing people with whom they previously signed a contract?
Are you suggesting that the only way someone can legitimately enforce a patent is with a party that has been forewarned? It seems like you're a little unclear on the definition of patent trolling.
I logged in because I usually have mod points, and I wanted to undo your moderation by modding it up. Unfortunately, I don't have mod points tonight. :(
I'm not saying that everyone should agree with what you said. Personally, I found it to be a pretty intelligent post, especially considering the time it was posted. Information such as exactly what CSIRO is and why it's unlikely to be a patent troll wasn't readily available yet. Then again, you didn't claim they were a patent troll, only that their behavior is indicative of one.
Unfortunately, many moderators don't understand the difference between "I don't agree with you" and "troll." Perhaps someone more knowledgeable on the issue might feel you should have looked into the issue a bit more, but that's a far cry from trolling.
Sorry I couldn't help you this time.
Please for god's sake, don't prefix every statement with mate just to prove you're australian. I see it all the time and it's stupid.
That is all.