Yahoo Settles NCR Patent Dispute
from the but-why? dept
NCR has somehow convinced Yahoo to settle the patent suit NCR filed against them last year. NCR, who has increasingly turned into a litigation happy patent holder, has over the past five years sued (among others) Netscape, Palm, Handspring and Yahoo for various patent infringements – which were all questionable claims. In none of these cases did NCR actually offer a product that was, in any way, similar to what the companies they sued were offering. At least in the Palm/Handspring case the judge dismissed the claim as having no merit. However, it looks like Yahoo didn’t want to bother with a full trial, and has agreed to settle and license the patents, rather than fight the battle. Once again, I’m wondering how this encourages innovation rather than stifles it?
Comments on “Yahoo Settles NCR Patent Dispute”
you keep asking easy questions :)
” Once again, I’m wondering how this encourages innovation rather than stifles it? “
That’s real easy…it doesn’t.
Unless you count lining lawyers’ pockets as innovation. Do you realize that lawyers as a profession have the largest lobbying effort?