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Zynga Trying To Patent Virtual Currency
from the copy-everything dept
Back in September, SF Weekly put out an article pointing out that super popular Facebook gamemaker Zynga's strategy has been to copy anyone else's popular game, change the name, market the hell out of it and take over the market. The company has been famous for its somewhat underhanded tactics over the years. That said, I don't think there's anything wrong with copying what's been successful (within the law, obviously) and trying to improve the overall experience. Where things get questionable is when it seeks to stop others from doing the same thing. We've noted in the past that Zynga has tried using copyright and trademark law to block others from the market, which is pretty sleazy given its own style of creating games.
Now it looks like it may be looking to do the same with patent law as well. Jarrett Streebin points us to an article highlighting a patent application from Zynga that certainly appears to be trying to patent a rather common form of virtual currencies. You can see the full patent application, which (amusingly) was published the day after that SF Weekly article.
Now, this is only a patent application, so one can hope that the USPTO comes to its senses and rejects it (though, it's been approving a lot more lately). However, it's still a pretty questionable move -- especially given that two of Zynga's investors, Brad Feld and Fred Wilson, are some of the most vocal anti-software patent advocates out there. It would be a shame if their money is being used to create more bad patents.
Now it looks like it may be looking to do the same with patent law as well. Jarrett Streebin points us to an article highlighting a patent application from Zynga that certainly appears to be trying to patent a rather common form of virtual currencies. You can see the full patent application, which (amusingly) was published the day after that SF Weekly article.
Now, this is only a patent application, so one can hope that the USPTO comes to its senses and rejects it (though, it's been approving a lot more lately). However, it's still a pretty questionable move -- especially given that two of Zynga's investors, Brad Feld and Fred Wilson, are some of the most vocal anti-software patent advocates out there. It would be a shame if their money is being used to create more bad patents.
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Side note
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"Bad patents"
Which assumes without evidence that a patent issuing from the application would be a "bad" patent, whatever that means.
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Sugggetion
from the Do as we say not as we do dept...
Back in my youth the vampires zynga app had a bonus feature of giving you a skill for playing in the poker rooms (Reason to buy in two linked products). This added the benefit community gathering for those of us that loved playing late night poker with the fringe of not only pop culture goths but heathens, wiccans and the like without getting harassed and outright threatened by radical Christians ect because of a profile pic. They just didn't come into the rue morgue (the server dedicated to the bonus of the vampire zynga game). Without notice they closed the Rue morgue and we started sending in request and petitions to Zynga directly to get it re-opened considering it was the only place this community could play in peace. Not one reply from Zynga to a community reaching in the thousands. Needless I long my respect for Zynga a long time ago.
Just another nail in the coffin.
In a world where like interest are hard to find in the net who in there right mind takes that away from there customers?
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Foolish Legislators Creating Madness
Our legislators could decide to be less foolish, by making government-granted monopoly privileges much harder and more expensive to get hold of. Granting copyright with no fee and no bureaucratic requirements to be fulfilled, constitutes madness. Attaching a monopoly privilege to a patent is also madness. There are other madnesses associated with trademarks, licenses and contracts. A whole new area of madness is being opened up with publicity rights. Vast damage to the economy is being caused by all this madness. The present crop of foolish legislators will never understand what they have done. Vote the bums out.
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Re: Side note
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Re: "Bad patents"
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Re: "Bad patents"
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Prior art
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Re: "Bad patents"
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Re: Re: "Bad patents"
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Re:
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Copywrong
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