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Legal Issues

by Mike Masnick

Thu, Sep 5th 2002 9:25am





eBay Faces Business Model Patents

from the there-must-be-prior-art dept

It's been a while since we heard anything about ridiculous business model patents, but now eBay is facing the dangerous end of a business model patent lawsuit from a guy who thinks he invented the idea of auctions. I realize that the patents are offiically for "computerized" marketplaces, but shouldn't prior art of regular auctions make these patents invalid? I also like how the owner of the patents makes himself sound like a "victim" because he couldn't raise money to start his own eBay - and instead decided to just suck the marrow out of a company that actually executed well.

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  1.  
    identicon
    RAYMOND, Feb 7th, 2006 @ 2:13am

    WE'RE THE SAME ANY WAY

    WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT THESE MODELS CAN'T CONTRIBUTE TO THE BUSINESS OF FRONT PAGE MAGAZINE DESPITE THE HUGE SELLINGS LATER ON..

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  
    identicon
    BiddersSite.com Online Auctions, Inc., Oct 24th, 2007 @ 10:24pm

    This guy is ridiculous...

    Will this guy proceed to start sueing every online auction site that makes a name for itself and starts making money. What about the fact that each and every auction site has its own format, layout and rules. As well as many of the namebrand online retailers that also may have a similar online marketplace. I tell you if this guy can prove he can commit the many years of programming it takes to code something like our system then I would be surprised. If your tired of being overcharged by Greedbay, then come give BiddersSite.com online auctions look over, we gaurantee you will be impressed.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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