CompTIA Adds New Intellectual Property Rights Depth to Its Advocacy Team
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| Well regarded within the intellectual property community, Katopis will work
| for the interests of CompTIA’ s membership primarily on intellectual property
| rights, patent reform, and tech-neutrality in government procurement.
`----
http://www.mworld.com/m/m.w?lp=GetStory&id=291304461
Why Microsoft likes Linux and "Open Source" now
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| I let you guess why Microsoft likes Linux and Open Source now: software
| patents solves the OSS problem and makes them confident that they have a
| legal certainty that they can suck royalties out of Linux sales, and control
| competitors when they want to operate with their dominant products.
`----
http://www.digitalmajority.org/forum/t-38809/why-microsoft-likes-linux-and-open-source-now
Fallout From Alcatel-Lucent's Patent Nuclear War With Microsoft Continues
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| Part of the conventional wisdom in having tech companies apply for lots of
| patents is that they're helpful as a "defensive" mechanism against other
| companies filing patent lawsuits against you. It's the nuclear stockpiling
| argument that suggests (without much proof) that the more patents everyone
| holds, the less likely actual patent litigation will result.
`----
http://techdirt.com/articles/20080130/014011124.shtml
Many new layoffs in Alcatel-Lucent, so why not use government-granted
monopolies to abuse?
Case of point (new):
Idea - Let’s Make Patents Defensive.
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| Patents always start out well-intentioned. Companies tell their
| employees, “We just need a few good patents for defensive purposes. If
| someone sues us, we need leverage.” Sadly, there is truth to this.
|
| But patents last for seventeen years and the average start-up does not. So,
| once the company gets into financial trouble, those innocent ‘defensive’
| patents can turn into funding to keep the company afloat for a short while
| longer, or worse, fall into a lawyer’s hands after the fire sale.
`----
http://www.belshe.com/2008/02/01/idea-lets-make-patents-defensive/
Just like SCO using lawsuits as a business model.
Related:
Microsoft patents by Brian Jones
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| For fun we just did a quick search of published US patent applications
| with "Brian Jones" as an author, and "Microsoft" as the assignee.
|
| [...]
|
| Some of these, like the packing ones, seem to apply directly to OOXML. What
| isn't clear to us is why Microsoft would pursue patent protection for patents
| rights that their are promising that they won't assert over users of OOXML.
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http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-35323/microsoft-patents-by-brian-jones
Wishful Spinning
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| OOXML gets adopted. More and more projects are started. Let's see which of
| these would survive without funding. Meanwhile a spin factory sends out
| success stories that most bloggers find worthless to discuss. It is possible
| to get the Krauts on board that are supposed to review OOXML but would OOXML
| survive a review by the crowds?
`----
http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-35292/wishful-spinning
Digging in the Comments: Patents
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| Patent licensing is probably the most important aspect for all third parties
| that want to implement or use the Open XML specification. Unfortunately the
| Ballot Resolution Meeting cannot discuss these aspects because only technical
| and editorial issues would get resolved.
|
| [...]
|
| When you have a patent which covers Open XML and you refuse to license it,
| the standard process gets stalled. Large companies in the standardization
| process are reluctant to use that nuke option. Given the ambush that the
| software patent practice means today it is quite possible that Open XML
| infringes a patent and all parties eventually have an obligation to license
| it.
`----
http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-31491/digging-in-the-comments:patents
Patent threat looms large over OOXML
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| "If OOXML goes through as an ISO standard, the IT industry, government and
| business will encumbered with a 6000-page specification peppered with
| potential patent liabilities" said NZOSS President Don Christie.
|
| "Patent threats have already been used to spread doubt amongst organisations
| keen to take advantage of the benefits of open source. No one knows whether
| such claims have any merit, but it is calculated to deter the development and
| use of open and alternative toolsets."
`----
http://nzoss.org.nz/node/179
Cyberlaw OOXML Seminar 14 December
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| However, this raises the issue - what assurance does a developer have that
| such a large specification is not the subject of third party patent claims?
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| The pedigree of the specification is certainly no reason for hope, Microsoft
| has been the target of third party patent claims for some time now including
| some high profile losses in patent suits. The fact that the specification has
| been developed behind closed doors and on a fast track means that there has
| been no adequate opportunity to evaluate the likelihood of third party patent
| claims against the specifications. The sheer size of the document suggests
| there will be at least a couple hiding in there somewhere.
`----
http://brendanscott.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/cyberlaw-ooxml-seminar-14-december/
ISO warned about possible patent violations of DIS29500 (aka OOXML)
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| I have just send the following email to ISO members (you can find some of
| their email addresses on the INCTIS website) to warn them about the possible
| patent ambush...
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http://jeremywang67.blogspot.com/2008/01/iso-warned-about-possible-patent.html
|
|
