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Red Hat CEO On Patent Trolls: Just Pay Them Off

Posted by timothy on from the take-this-cash-and-shove-it dept.

jbrodkin writes "Although Red Hat fights patent lawsuits when it deems it necessary, CEO Jim Whitehurst says it's often just better to pay the trolls to make them go away. 'When it's so little money, at some point, bluntly, it's better to settle than fight these things out,' Whitehurst said. Red Hat has been forced to pay out claims to the likes of FireStar Software and Acacia, and Whitehurst indicated Red Hat has paid off various other companies behind closed doors. 'Some of them are [public] but we often seal them in settlement,' he said."

4 of 167 comments (clear)

  1. This is by Colourspace · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The stupidest thing I have heard a CEO say in a long time. Welcome trolls, we'll pay you to shut the fuck up.

    1. Re:This is by betterunixthanunix · · Score: 4, Insightful

      His job is to maximize shareholder value. If that means settling for a lower price than the cost of pursuing a court case, that is what he is going to do.

      --
      Palm trees and 8
    2. Re:This is by increment1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      That is not the point that the original poster is referring to. What is being referred to is that if you pay off trolls, you probably shouldn't announce that you pay off trolls, or you will end up with more trolls coming at you.

      This is why the comment by the CEO is being referred to as stupid, since saying something like this can only lead to more patent trolls and nothing positive for the company.

  2. Rudyard Kipling said it best by Oriumpor · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It is always a temptation to an armed and agile nation
        To call upon a neighbour and to say: --
    "We invaded you last night--we are quite prepared to fight,
        Unless you pay us cash to go away."

    And that is called asking for Dane-geld,
        And the people who ask it explain
    That you've only to pay 'em the Dane-geld
        And then you'll get rid of the Dane!

    It is always a temptation for a rich and lazy nation,
        To puff and look important and to say: --
    "Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you.
        We will therefore pay you cash to go away."

    And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
        But we've proved it again and again,
    That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
        You never get rid of the Dane.

    It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,
        For fear they should succumb and go astray;
    So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,
        You will find it better policy to say: --

    "We never pay any-one Dane-geld,
        No matter how trifling the cost;
    For the end of that game is oppression and shame,
        And the nation that pays it is lost!"