PROMOTION or grooming of patent trolls is typically IAM territories. Dominion Harbor, for example, is a patent troll like those which IAM likes to whitewash (also connected to the world's biggest troll), including as recently as yesterday. "Like many other licensing companies," it said yesterday ("licensing company" is a euphemism for troll), "four-year-old Dominion Harbor has concluded a number of licence deals with big Chinese tech companies" (much like deals between IAM and patent trolls, which give money to IAM).

"Promotion or grooming of patent trolls is typically IAM territories."It's almost understandable that IAM Media accepted money from companies it covers. That's just an ethical breach for a private company. But what happens when an agency like WIPO, which is supposed to be non-commercial, becomes a mouthpiece of patent bullies? We can expect that from the EPO, but not the USPTO (we cannot think of such an instance).

"Qualcomm is one of the biggest patent troll out there," Benjamin Henrion alleged yesterday, and it is now being solicited by WIPO. "I am truly disgusted," I told Henrion, "but not surprised."

"They use the troll money to buy WIPO embedded ads," one person told me, or so "it appears."

Remember that WIPO is just about as abusive as the EPO (it's nowhere near EPO levels of abuse in our view) and if it is 'working' for Qualcomm the patent bully (probably the biggest and most notorious such bully these days, having attracted several antitrust actions in multiple continents), what does that say about WIPO?

As a reminder, Qualcomm is using software patents (among other patents) against the competition and here is its former executive, in WIPO magazine, promoting software patents.

It "seems like IP is best defended with a paraphrase of why Free/Open software works," somebody told me. "Qualcomm embedded ad?"

"It's almost understandable that IAM Media accepted money from companies it covers. That's just an ethical breach for a private company."Well, this is what happens when “IP” people, not software developers, ask for software patents (without having actually practiced software development). Software patents proponents (obviously not software developers) are currently promoting this piece from 'ex' Qualcomm (in WIPO's Web site, as HTML). I asked the author, "what computer programs did you develop? Why hijack voices of software developers for software patents (your $)?"

Henrion joked with her, "burn all software developers."

He also wrote, "maybe she can precise if developers can benefit from freedom of expression as well?"

"It's the old "you can't earn money w/o patents" story, right?"

That's what another person wrote before noting that the author "also argue[s] software replaces mechanics and electronics?"

""If it's free," the saying goes, "then you are the product." WIPO and its corporate partners probably just hope to convert this event into a lobbying opportunity, influencing those who choose to attend."Sadly, we don't have the time (or sources, never mind resources) to cover WIPO. IP Kat mentioned WIPO yesterday and it was basically a WIPO-related 'ad' which said: "There is still time to reserve a place at the New Zealand and Australia Roving Seminars on WIPO services, which will take place in Auckland on March 13, Wellington on March 15, Sydney on March 20, Melbourne on March 22, and Perth on March 24, 2017. There is no charge for registering or attending."

"If it's free," the saying goes, "then you are the product." WIPO and/or its corporate partners probably just hope to convert this event into a lobbying opportunity, influencing those who choose to attend. At the end, somebody pays the bills. ⬆