08.28.09

Patents Roundup: Microsoft and Linux

Posted in Europe, GNU/Linux, Kernel, Microsoft, Patents, Tivoization at 5:25 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Summary: Sunny day here today, so here are just some patent ‘quickies’

TiVo is a patent nuisance to everyone. Despite using Linux, it is a patent aggressor [1, 2, 3], just like Akamai. And just because it uses Linux (and applies TiVoization to it) does not magically make it a nice company. TiVo carries on with its journey of aggravation:

TiVo said Wednesday that it is suing AT&T and Verizon over three DVR patents. The complaints seek damages and a permanent injunction.

Simply put, TiVo is pursuing the same legal playbook it followed against Dish/EchoStar. The patents in question include 6,233,389, 7,529,465 and 7,493,015.

Nintendo has just spared a lot of money to save itself from the likes of TiVo.

Nintendo Co., the maker of the top- selling Wii video-game console, settled a U.S. trade fight that could have resulted in a U.S. import ban of the popular gaming systems.

Nintendo and Hillcrest Laboratories Inc. filed a notice with the U.S. International Trade Commission on Aug. 21 that they reached a settlement of patent-infringement claims before the agency. Financial details were blacked out in the copy of the agreement made available to the public.

The patent system may often be characterised as a system of honour and mutual respect, but what we find here is a system of embargoes and strangulation. There is also such a thing as a “nasty patent” and Microsoft shows exactly what that can be:

Microsoft is seeking to patent a method for using a popular human-verification technology on the Web to deliver advertising to a captive audience.

We wrote about it two days ago, just as we mentioned HP and Dell helping Microsoft against patents. Here is another article about it.

Then there is Tuxera [1, 2], which The Register is falsely describing as a “Linux vendor”. Why are they showing off selling out anyway? Is Microsoft paying them?

To finish off on a brighter side, here is an entertaining new video.

[Via]

We wrote about this patent application right here. Someone has also just sent us what he calls “EPO propaganda”, saying that it is “a picture taken of an EPO job advertisement..” [click to enlarge] █

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