

Patent troll to sue Linden Lab, Blizzard - jibiki
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/11/AR2009031103650.html

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noonespecial
I thought there were some reasonable limits to how long you could wait to try
to enforce your patents specifically to prevent the most egregious
submariners.

1) Obtain a vague patent from a failed startup. 2) Wait for Blizzard (and
multiplayer 3d games in general) to get reee-heeheehee-ly big, 3) Profit,
should not be a legitimate business model.

On the bright side, these losers have probably missed the boat on making a
quick buck through regular old patent extortion. Now that they are challenging
an entire industry, they are bound to face considerable (and well funded)
resistance. (They've probably SCOed themselves)

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gacek
What were those 'patents' for?

innovation protection?

yeah, right.

I really hope software patents are not introduced in Europe.

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herval
they were for trolling... also, I was under the impression that patents apply
in europe - I once worked for a swedish company that had a really hard time
due to a dutch patent troll who claimed ownership of their IP via broad and
vague patents, soon after the company raised VC money...

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troels
Patents do - Software patents don't. However, if you want to sell your stuff
in the US, you must obey the rules there, and the US is a pretty big marked.

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froo
Couldn't Blizzard argue Prior Art due to MUD's and MUSH's, thus simply
nullifying the patent troll's position?

