Barnes & Noble Wants Microsoft's Patents Probed

[exfileme]

Barnes & Noble wants U.S. regulators to investigate Microsoft and its portfolio of patents, fearing a monopoly.

Barnes & Noble Wants Microsoft's Patents Probed : Read more

 

[AbdullahG]

Ugh! More patent news? I didn't want to do this but....

"Yo dawg, I heard you like patents, so we put a patent in yo patent so you can patent while you patent!"

 

[ickarumba1]

Although what Microsoft is doing is downright anticompetitive, I'm afraid it is a common practice for large companies to try and cripple competitors (they don't want to outright crush them, because the government might intervene).

 

[enkichild]

Those few cent royalties add up when you're paying 100 different ones for a single device.

 

[ltdementhial]

[citation][nom]ickarumba1[/nom]Although what Apple is doing is downright anticompetitive, I'm afraid it is a common practice for large companies to try and cripple competitors (they don't want to outright crush them, because the government might intervene).[/citation]

there i fix it.

now on topic:

Barnes and nobles got a point about microsoft may monopolizing patents and so. but they're wrong in the point of Microsoft's "embarking on a campaign of asserting trivial and outmoded patents against manufacturers of Android devices" as they don't want android or google ruined but only again protect their tech and developments from things like being suit for how a boton looks like.

i don't really understand the patent system you guys got on US. but i don't see microsoft playing blind-suit like apple.

 

[alikum]

Again, another company expecting free lunch. They think they can just come up with devices, preload it with an OS they happen to find FREE and sell it for profit? When you take an open source and make it commercial, it's no longer open source and therefore, patent holders have the right to sue, or in this case, license. To Barnes & Noble, wait til Apple comes after you and you'd be wishing you had entered a licensing deal with Microsoft.

 

[eddieroolz]

I think this has been probed already in 1997 case against Apple, and most recently by EU investigating Microsoft. If companies dislike patents so much, they should be going after IBM instead of Microsoft...IBM holds a huge number of patents too.

In other words, I just think there's the usual Microsoft-bashing going on.

 

[Thunderfox]

Interesting that a non-tech company is the one who decides to take on MS. Is it because they don't understand the situation and don't know what they are getting themselves into, or is it because, as outsiders to the tech industry, they don't have to worry about repercussions from this action aside from the actual outcome of the case?

In any case, as screwed up as the patent system is, any further reviewing of such important patents as these is probably a good thing. At least maybe it is another chance to thin out any particularly bad ones.

 

[hiruu]

This is a joke of a case...B&N is not a technology company, but they deal in IP as a core business, so you would think that they would udnerstand the importance of patents within R&D. Microsoft spends as much money as any other company in the field on R&D, and there reward is to have people pay to use their patents, I'd love to see somebody create a reader say mook, and be a total knockoff the nook, and try to sell THAT!

 

[alidan]

[citation][nom]Thunderfox[/nom]Interesting that a non-tech company is the one who decides to take on MS. Is it because they don't understand the situation and don't know what they are getting themselves into, or is it because, as outsiders to the tech industry, they don't have to worry about repercussions from this action aside from the actual outcome of the case? In any case, as screwed up as the patent system is, any further reviewing of such important patents as these is probably a good thing. At least maybe it is another chance to thin out any particularly bad ones.[/citation]

Barnes & Noble still lives in a world where common sense means something. now, im not saying that microsoft only has patents, like move finger to unlock, but dont they hold a patent that basically states "send email on wireless device"

microsoft may hold valid patents, but some of those patents are now, so retardedly obvious, and possibly the only way of doing something, that thy should no longer be.

 

[Guest]

I think this has been probed already in 1997 case against Apple, and most recently by EU investigating Microsoft. If companies dislike patents so much, they should be going after IBM instead of Microsoft...IBM holds a huge number of patents too.

In other words, I just think there's the usual Microsoft-bashing going on.

how many times do you see IBM making news because of its patent trolling? IBM is a giant just watching the little children squabble in the dirt.

 

[JOSHSKORN]

I think we need to look at Apple, too.

 

[The_Trutherizer]

Google promises Android OS is free. And I believe they will keep that promise. So if M$ wins I think Google will actually provide Android at a loss (not considering income from advertising, etc..)

What I want to know is... If android is infringing on these patents then another free OS such as Linux surely must be as well. Linux has everything. I guess M$ does not see Linux as a threat.

 

[ojas]

What about Apple? Don't they keep trolling? Why not set up an enquiry to see how a rectangle qualifies as a patent?

[citation][nom]patentssuck[/nom]how many times do you see IBM making news because of its patent trolling? IBM is a giant just watching the little children squabble in the dirt.[/citation]
Agreed, IBM is too busy getting stuff done to worry about patents. Or maybe they already get royalties 😛

 

[Guest]

ojas: What does Apple or IBM have to do with this? Somebody else can sue them later, we're talking about Microsoft.

Back on topic: Good for them, there's nothing wrong with doing a little review of Microsoft's patents, hopefully they'll all be invalidated for being trivial and stupid. Kudos to B&N for growing a pair, unlike some of their tablet and smartphone competitors.

 

[iceman1992]

[citation][nom]eddieroolz[/nom]I think this has been probed already in 1997 case against Apple, and most recently by EU investigating Microsoft. If companies dislike patents so much, they should be going after IBM instead of Microsoft...IBM holds a huge number of patents too.In other words, I just think there's the usual Microsoft-bashing going on.[/citation]
But IBM doesn't abuse those patents. Microsoft and Apple does

 

[marthisdil]

[citation][nom]sajo[/nom]ojas: What does Apple or IBM have to do with this? Somebody else can sue them later, we're talking about Microsoft.Back on topic: Good for them, there's nothing wrong with doing a little review of Microsoft's patents, hopefully they'll all be invalidated for being trivial and stupid. Kudos to B&N for growing a pair, unlike some of their tablet and smartphone competitors.[/citation]I hope MS wins, gets a huge judgment against B&N and B&N finally closes it's doors. No one with any common sense buys books from B&N anymore.

 

[marthisdil]

[citation][nom]iceman1992[/nom]But IBM doesn't abuse those patents. Microsoft and Apple does[/citation]How is Microsoft "abusing" something it has? While I generally don't agree with how software/business patents really are, it is what it is.

Remember that if you ever come up with a patent and go and sue someone big in the Eastern District of Texas because you feel they infringed on it. I'm sure YOU won't feel that YOU are abusing YOUR patent. But hey, as long as you can bash....

 

[marthisdil]

[citation][nom]ickarumba1[/nom]Although what Microsoft is doing is downright anticompetitive, I'm afraid it is a common practice for large companies to try and cripple competitors (they don't want to outright crush them, because the government might intervene).[/citation]
No more "anticompetitive" than any other company that has a product that uses the patent (i.e. not a true patent troll).

 

[ojas]

[citation][nom]sajo[/nom]ojas: What does Apple or IBM have to do with this?[/citation]
lol u used "sajo"....