

HP is trying to patent continuous delivery - gyre007
http://blog.matthewskelton.net/2015/03/06/hp-is-trying-to-patent-continuous-delivery-here-is-how-you-can-help-block-this-madness/

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cpks
It's the way the patent system works. You file obscene numbers of unenforcable
patents for the sake of mutually-assured destruction should a patent war come
up.

Most patents have massive amounts of prior art, are obvious, or otherwise
unenforcable. But if you threaten a patent lawsuit against me, either:

1\. You can put me out of business

2\. I have my own warchest of 1000 patents. I find 30 your're breaking.
They're all bunk, but it gives enough uncertainty that I might be able to put
you out of business that you don't sue.

Employees at companies have to go along with it to keep their jobs. I have a
big problem with vilifying and blaming them the way this article does. Not
everyone has to share your sense of ethics to be a good person.

Big companies are only slightly more to blame -- they have to do it to
survive. In addition, I'd still rather see these patents with HP than with a
little company in East Texas.

The problem is the patent system itself. We need reform it. The way it is set
up, frivolous patents like these are (1) necessary and (2) draining the
lifeblood of America.

The problem also comes in around enforcement. HP is unlikely to sue a free
software project. I honestly believe that they intend to treat the patents as
mostly defensive. But HP isn't doing so hot on R&D, and the odds of the
patents going to a complete patent troll in the next 20 years are maybe 10%.
There are dozens of companies like HP.

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azurezyq
I'm not an expert on patents. If nobody noticed it and it was successfully
granted, can it be revoked in the future due to "not originally invented"?

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lexicalscope
Patents can be challenged/revoked if they are not novel - in other words, if
the practice, process, invention, etc already existed. Particularly if it is
in widespread use it is often easier to get it revoked - hence conference
papers, articles, posts, etc, about this practice can prove that CD is well
known and get the patents taken care of.

Generally you are not required to search for prior art before you file a
patent, you just have to promise you aren't aware of any. Some people
intentionally avoid looking for prior art for this reason, as the patent
office is overwhelmed and often staffed people not as much of experts as they
should be, and you end up with people granting patents for obviously non-novel
things.

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tootie
HP makes such crummy software, I can't believe they actually test anything.

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a3n
And they don't want anyone else to either.

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pkaye
It makes them look bad.

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guelo
Looking through LinkedIn it seems these guys are all Israelis. Maybe that's
why they don't care about gaming the US patent system.

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poulsbohemian
That's because they all work for the R&D group that HP acquired in 2007 when
they bought Mercury. The couple names I recognize on that list have worked on
products like LoadRunner and RUM

