This is infuriating. I wasn't even given a letter, but I'd be happy to donate money to a central organization, if there is one, ready to fight these assholes.<p>Patents are bogus, and software patents are even worse. In this case, we're talking about process and not technology. Maybe this is needed to bring light to the issue and perhaps piss Apple off enough that they'll work to invalidate the patent.
All this recent litigation nonsense is turning me into an extremist. Consider me anti all patents. And I'm this close to being anti all copyright as well.
Interesting that Apple is actually negotiating with them over this. They must be seriously thinking about the value of the FUD it would create for their competitors if Apple managed to come out of it with an exclusive (or even non-exclusive, but expensive) license.
It was pretty silly to think Lodsys, which is solely a patent-holding company, would back down just because they got a letter from Apple's lawyers. Lodsys has lawyers too.
So what exactly is this patent covering? I've heard several things .. the 'Upgrade to Pro Version' buttons, the 'Would you like to rate this app' dialog, and some other things.<p>Does anyone actually know what it exactly is that they are after?
Is it legal and/or feasible to start a Kickstarter project to help fund these developers' legal costs? Not sure how it could be distributed but if they could somehow pool together it would make for a pretty awesome stand. I know I'd gladly contribute to stop these stupid a-holes from pulling these stunts on the average joe.
Source post here: <a href="http://www.lodsys.com/1/post/2011/05/-responsibility-and-accountability-lodsys-usd1000-offer.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.lodsys.com/1/post/2011/05/-responsibility-and-acc...</a><p>Betting $1000/dev that they're right is definitely gutsy.
I just don't get how this can be upheld.<p>It's OBVIOUSLY impossible for Johnny Coder to be aware of every patent that has been filed to date.<p>Copying someones overall design wholesale, I can understand. The "Look and Feel" copyright system is a much neater solution than all this patent nonsense.
Given that they bought 'future' license rights to a patent and not previous entered into patent license rights.. what other laws factor into the case?<p>I do not think RICO applies here just yet. Certainly filing untrue claims against a party that will not be a party to any patent claim is not too bright as a business model.<p>In any case both Apple, Google, MS, etc would be the ones acting on legal cases to remove or keep an app in the market not the individual developer. I AM NOT A LAWYER.. however would it be wise to see whether Apple, Google, MS, etc fight this at the DCMA/case level of when a court tries to request a take down?