02.26.18
Marketing and Lobbying Disguised as ‘Articles’ and Microsoft-Connected Firms That Promote Software Patents and a Microsoft Racket
Summary: More of the usual ‘spam’ that’s tailor-made to look like reporting or advice; the Microsoft connection to some of the latest patent lobbying is also noted
TECHRIGHTS habitually calls out or exposes sites that are paid to promote an agenda (the EPO does this a lot). It also names and shames companies that participate in this, not to mention so-called ‘news’ sites that are just posting as ‘news’ pure PR, shallowly dressed up as ‘articles’.
“An ‘app’ is just a buzzword for software, so this article basically promotes software patents (which is a terrible idea, they’re worthless).”Several days ago CBR published this ‘article’ titled “Patenting your app: Everything you need to know” (sounds like something introductory, but it’s not).
An ‘app’ is just a buzzword for software, so this article basically promotes software patents (which is a terrible idea, they’re worthless). It uses very basic language (like a marketing brochure with generic language) and watch who wrote it. Pure marketing disguised as ‘news’ by John Paul Rooney, partner and patent attorney at Withers & Rogers.
Has CBR sunk this low? Might as well post that under the “spam” or “advertisements” section. It’s just misinformation intended to spur sales.
“Might as well post that under the “spam” or “advertisements” section. It’s just misinformation intended to spur sales.”Sadly, CBR is far from the only site doing so. Watchtroll, where about a quarter of all posts are press releases (or paid-for marketing), is now posting Microsoft marketing as ‘articles’. Truly pathetic. Who next? Monsanto maybe? There are Windows- and Microsoft-aligned sites that glorify Microsoft patents every single day (here’s a new example), but seeing Watchtroll participating in it says a lot about Watchtroll.
Speaking of Microsoft, Aaron Morrow, who works for the firm of a famous felon’s father (K&L Gates is the firm of Bill Gates’ family), now explains how to enforce software patents in spite of them being bogus (under § 101). To quote:
On February 9, 2018, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) held its first Chicago Regional Seminar, hosted by Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Stefanos Karmis, the Acting Director of the Office of Patent Quality Assurance, participated in several of the panels and discussed ongoing patent quality initiatives at the USPTO. Many of those panel discussions centered on the Master Review Form, [1] especially a “Patent Quality Review” segment on patent subject matter eligibility under 35 U.S.C. § 101. Practitioners and applicants should go through the Master Review Form because it sets forth how the USPTO evaluates a subject matter eligibility rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 101.
It is also worth noting this article from the firm of Microsoft’s former patent bully, which then plugs in some Microsoft marketing: “Given that there are no specific allegations at this point against Avi Networks’ Next-gen Application Delivery for Microsoft Azure, it doesn’t appear that Avi Networks could take advantage of the Patent Pick option of the Azure IP Advantage program. But that could always change as the case proceeds.”
“Notice how a Microsoft-connected law firm, speaking about a Microsoft ally, promotes a Microsoft racket and bashes another partner.”“Azure IP Advantage” is a patent racket [1, 2] and the case in question sees Microsoft’s ally Citrix using software patents against a small company. Notice how a Microsoft-connected law firm, speaking about a Microsoft ally, promotes a Microsoft racket and bashes another partner.
Is there a disclosure of the conflict of interest? Of course not. █
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