http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121120/23114621108/can-ftc-doj-do-what-uspto-wont-crack-down-patent-trolls.shtml#c74 Mon, 26 Nov 2012 04:23:38 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121120/23114621108/can-ftc-doj-do-what-uspto-wont-crack-down-patent-trolls.shtml#c74
Assuming this is the "Right" way to handle it (and the jury is seriously out on that): I don't think anyone should be able to assert an old patent when they have no invention based on the patent.

The "idea" is not what is designed to be protected. If it were, patents would not be publicly published, thus further protecting the idea.

Here's an unrelated idea.

Don't publicly publish the patents.

Then if two entities - even one very much later - submit very similar patents you can invalidate the original via "independent invention".]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120719/10310319762/apparently-stripping-nude-to-protest-tsa-search-is-protected-first-amendment.shtml#c515 Thu, 19 Jul 2012 15:39:47 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120719/10310319762/apparently-stripping-nude-to-protest-tsa-search-is-protected-first-amendment.shtml#c515 http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20120717/15395619734/att-may-try-to-charge-facetime-users-raising-net-neutrality-questions.shtml#c100 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 06:54:13 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20120717/15395619734/att-may-try-to-charge-facetime-users-raising-net-neutrality-questions.shtml#c100 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120710/18022019655/google-sued-patent-infringement-mobile-chrome.shtml#c346 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 07:40:31 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120710/18022019655/google-sued-patent-infringement-mobile-chrome.shtml#c346
Win Win

Software and business method patents should be disallowed and thrown out en masse. If it's a physical device that is marketed protect it from copying. Otherwise leave things alone.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120705/13315119597/judge-posner-do-most-industries-even-need-patents.shtml#c524 Fri, 6 Jul 2012 18:03:39 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120705/13315119597/judge-posner-do-most-industries-even-need-patents.shtml#c524
The PURPOSE (which has been PERVERTED) of the system was to protect my company which researched, created, produced and most importantly SOLD a gadget from being copied directly by someone who is just a copycat and did no innovation. The purpose is to SPUR innovation not stifle it.

The present system allows someone to "patent" and IDEA - an abstraction that isn't used as a product at all and isn't even produced and then profit from said IDEA by using the legal system. That STIFLES innovation. I'm not for that at all.

IF a company happend to patent something and then produced a product and for whatever reason discontinued production -- that patent should be up for grabs for at least a license that cannot be denied by the patent holder so that it can continue to be produced.

I think the solution to the problem is to disallow software and business model patents and only allow them on produced physical goods.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120705/13315119597/judge-posner-do-most-industries-even-need-patents.shtml#c255 Fri, 6 Jul 2012 07:32:25 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120705/13315119597/judge-posner-do-most-industries-even-need-patents.shtml#c255 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120622/01175719425/trojan-author-includes-integrated-chat-challenges-security-researchers-digging-through-his-code.shtml#c509 Wed, 27 Jun 2012 11:02:48 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120622/01175719425/trojan-author-includes-integrated-chat-challenges-security-researchers-digging-through-his-code.shtml#c509 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120622/01175719425/trojan-author-includes-integrated-chat-challenges-security-researchers-digging-through-his-code.shtml#c318 Wed, 27 Jun 2012 06:09:08 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120622/01175719425/trojan-author-includes-integrated-chat-challenges-security-researchers-digging-through-his-code.shtml#c318
Why is this on techdirt?

Did he enforce a copyright claim against AVG?]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20120623/00213319445/judge-posner-rips-apart-apples-patent-litigation-strategy-being-really-annoyed-is-no-reason-to-sue.shtml#c92 Mon, 25 Jun 2012 06:27:54 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20120623/00213319445/judge-posner-rips-apart-apples-patent-litigation-strategy-being-really-annoyed-is-no-reason-to-sue.shtml#c92 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120320/03083718166/canadian-real-estate-agents-without-us-poor-homeowners-would-be-getting-attacked-killed.shtml#c454 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:47:34 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120320/03083718166/canadian-real-estate-agents-without-us-poor-homeowners-would-be-getting-attacked-killed.shtml#c454
Standard commission where I am is 6%. Real estate agents don't highly consider the homes for sale at lower percentages.

While I can get on the MLS with a 1-2 percent commission the home won't be seriously considered.

This is CHANGING now that we have the aggregators showing the homes and people can find the homes faster than they can find a realtor.

The whole argument that the realtor is necessary for the inspections, offers, negotiation is specious.

I just bought a second home. I knew the seller and just drew up a simple for sale contract and took it to my bank and then chose a title company and they handled all the documents etc. It was inexpensive for the seller (Though there is still the title insurance scam) and it worked well.

I'd love to sell my other home myself. But the REALITY of the situation is that a realtor is presently a bonus convenience. I don't have to like it and I can certainly hope for a change in how things operate.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120320/03083718166/canadian-real-estate-agents-without-us-poor-homeowners-would-be-getting-attacked-killed.shtml#c100 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 10:41:48 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120320/03083718166/canadian-real-estate-agents-without-us-poor-homeowners-would-be-getting-attacked-killed.shtml#c100
There are ways to get into the MLS cheaper but realtors don't show these "low commission" homes.

So we sit here and basically pay a "tax" to get into the MLS so the home can sell. I'd love to be part of something BIGGER than the MLS that lets homes sell without paying this "tax". It is WAY out of line and this industry is RIPE for technological disruption. It can't happen fast enough for me.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20120307/06130018010/qr-codes-ugly-overused-doomed.shtml#c714 Fri, 9 Mar 2012 11:03:14 PST http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20120307/06130018010/qr-codes-ugly-overused-doomed.shtml#c714
Anyway - they COULD be useful. But they usually aren't.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110317/10393913530/it-took-ny-times-14-months-40-million-dollars-to-build-worlds-stupidest-paywall.shtml#c566 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:35:49 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110317/10393913530/it-took-ny-times-14-months-40-million-dollars-to-build-worlds-stupidest-paywall.shtml#c566 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110207/20291112998/if-you-dont-offer-legit-versions-is-it-that-big-surprise-that-people-want-unauthorized-copies.shtml#c131 Tue, 8 Feb 2011 08:01:12 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110207/20291112998/if-you-dont-offer-legit-versions-is-it-that-big-surprise-that-people-want-unauthorized-copies.shtml#c131 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110113/14494112661/techno-panics-forty-years-ago-narrated-orson-welles.shtml#c667 Sun, 16 Jan 2011 15:51:30 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110113/14494112661/techno-panics-forty-years-ago-narrated-orson-welles.shtml#c667 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101105/01302511734/why-the-jammie-thomas-verdicts-return-such-huge-amounts-per-song-shared-it-s-all-about-the-framing.shtml#c264 Fri, 5 Nov 2010 10:46:46 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101105/01302511734/why-the-jammie-thomas-verdicts-return-such-huge-amounts-per-song-shared-it-s-all-about-the-framing.shtml#c264
This jury could have come back with an award of $.01 per song. Nullifying the bad law.

Too bad they didn't know about nullification.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101031/14112411666/apple-prefers-to-keep-gpl-d-software-out-of-app-store-so-it-can-keep-drm-on-all-apps.shtml#c172 Mon, 1 Nov 2010 06:53:19 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101031/14112411666/apple-prefers-to-keep-gpl-d-software-out-of-app-store-so-it-can-keep-drm-on-all-apps.shtml#c172
I don't think it's a fight apple wants to get into. So the easiest thing is to just remove the application. Sad but I can see where they would not want to assume legal liability for every application and developer.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101024/23215811557/texas-sends-amazon-269m-sales-tax-bill-could-woot-have-pushed-texas-over-the-edge.shtml#c180 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 15:56:22 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101024/23215811557/texas-sends-amazon-269m-sales-tax-bill-could-woot-have-pushed-texas-over-the-edge.shtml#c180
What's the big deal with Amazon? The sales tax is nothing more than administrative and not onerous. They even get to earn interest on the money before they pay it. They SHOULD have been collecting it and passing it on. I'm willing to bet that they turn on the sales tax collection in Texas (anyone from Texas want to try to buy something to see?) and then settle with the state.

The letter of the law is on the states side here - not because of Woot but because of the distribution center.

Why even try to hide it as I said - the consumer is paying the sales tax.

Now if Amazon really wanted to get froggy they could go after their past customers for the back sales tax....]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20100914/12150511008/verizon-wireless-math-strikes-again-pay-much-more-for-less.shtml#c235 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 13:31:07 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20100914/12150511008/verizon-wireless-math-strikes-again-pay-much-more-for-less.shtml#c235 http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20100914/12150511008/verizon-wireless-math-strikes-again-pay-much-more-for-less.shtml#c181 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:23:09 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20100914/12150511008/verizon-wireless-math-strikes-again-pay-much-more-for-less.shtml#c181
As to sprint - I have a sprint card too. It's on "holiday" right now but when active still has the 5gb cap as well as shoddy coverage compared to verizon. It is nice that they let you put it on holiday for a time though.

In self defense I added tethering to my iphone so I have a solution from each carrier.

Even so - just a moderate update to system software that happens in background can use 1/2 a gigabyte in a hurry. Do that on 5 connected machines and half the bandwidth is gone in an very short time.

If there's a mobile solution other than these 3 carriers I'm all ears.]]>