When eBay acquired PayPal, eBay executives worried about long-term legal questions surrounding Internet betting. Even though it represented nearly 8% of PayPal's revenue, they decided to no longer facilitate payments for online gambling sites.
Will eBay fold under US government pressure to provide a backdoor for eavesdropping on Skype calls? Mark my words, unfortunately, "YES".
Being out in the boonies, I gave Starband a try. I struggled with it for a couple of months. It doesn't work.
My biggest complaint was the constant disconnections. I would disconnect around 10-20 times per day from 30 seconds to 4 hours. The best ping time I ever recorded was around 650 ms, making telnet and gaming unbearable. The customer support was useless.
When I cancelled the service, I was charged $499 just for canceling, not counting the many hundreds I paid for the installation and equipment! I refused to pay the cancellation fee. After 3-4 months and letters back and forth, VISA reversed the charge.
As I understand patent law, you must file a patent application within one year after you sell, offer for sale, or commercially or publicly use or describe your invention. If you fail to file within one year, the law bars you from obtaining a valid patent on the invention. The invention is no longer considered novel.
Worlds Inc. filed this patent application on Nov 12, 1996. According to Worlds Inc. own press release, they publicly used and described their "invention" at the Digital World Conference on Jun 5, 1995...
http://www.worlds.net/news/PressReleases/pro02.htm l
Since Worlds Inc. didn't apply for a patent on their publicly used invention for at least another 17 months, their "invention" became prior art to itself. It was no longer novel.
While I worked for Worlds Inc., I authored a product called AlphaWorld (now ActiveWorlds). AlphaWorld limited the number of visible avatars in a space using a similar strategy as this patent. If AlphaWorld infringes on this patent, then AlphaWorld itself is also prior art! AlphaWorld was also publicly used at the 1995 Digital World Conference and later fully released to the public in Aug 1995.
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When eBay acquired PayPal, eBay executives worried about long-term legal questions surrounding Internet betting. Even though it represented nearly 8% of PayPal's revenue, they decided to no longer facilitate payments for online gambling sites.
Will eBay fold under US government pressure to provide a backdoor for eavesdropping on Skype calls? Mark my words, unfortunately, "YES".
Being out in the boonies, I gave Starband a try. I struggled with it for a couple of months. It doesn't work.
My biggest complaint was the constant disconnections. I would disconnect around 10-20 times per day from 30 seconds to 4 hours. The best ping time I ever recorded was around 650 ms, making telnet and gaming unbearable. The customer support was useless.
When I cancelled the service, I was charged $499 just for canceling, not counting the many hundreds I paid for the installation and equipment! I refused to pay the cancellation fee. After 3-4 months and letters back and forth, VISA reversed the charge.
Hopefully fixed wireless or low-earth orbit satellites will be available someday. Until then, I'm paying through the nose for a T1.
http://www.delphion.com/details?&pn=US06219045__&s _all=1
As I understand patent law, you must file a patent application within one year after you sell, offer for sale, or commercially or publicly use or describe your invention. If you fail to file within one year, the law bars you from obtaining a valid patent on the invention. The invention is no longer considered novel.
Worlds Inc. filed this patent application on Nov 12, 1996. According to Worlds Inc. own press release, they publicly used and described their "invention" at the Digital World Conference on Jun 5, 1995...
http://www.worlds.net/news/PressReleases/pro02.htm l
Since Worlds Inc. didn't apply for a patent on their publicly used invention for at least another 17 months, their "invention" became prior art to itself. It was no longer novel.
While I worked for Worlds Inc., I authored a product called AlphaWorld (now ActiveWorlds). AlphaWorld limited the number of visible avatars in a space using a similar strategy as this patent. If AlphaWorld infringes on this patent, then AlphaWorld itself is also prior art! AlphaWorld was also publicly used at the 1995 Digital World Conference and later fully released to the public in Aug 1995.
Ron Britvich
AskEarth.com