Eolas Back At It - Claiming Ownership of Interactive Web

[gameoverDude]

Patent troll claiming ownership of interactive Web

Eolas' owner Michael Doyle claims he's owed royalties for certain popular Web features. This was the company who sued Microsoft in 1999, ending up winning a half-billion dollar judgment in 2003. That verdict was overturned on appeal, but Microsoft settled. Now the patent troll rears its head again over companies using the "interactive Web". Twenty have been sued and all but 8 have settled. Eolas is seeking $600M.

OMG. I think the remaining defendants need to team up to the fullest extent and utterly crush this company. Hopefully the jury in the first trial will call bullshit on the patents. I don't think Eolas is as big as these companies combined- JCPenney and GoDaddy are two of the defendants who will go to trial. In this particular case, I don't sympathize for the little guy- because Eolas is like a parasitic piranha looking for a free meal.

Patent trolls suck. Discuss.

[ChaoofNee]

Software patents are broken.

The American patent system needs a complete overhaul.

Everybody needs to listen to Episode 441 of This American Life: When Patents Attack!.

End discussion.

[kedawa]

The very idea of broad patents is just retarded, even if they aren't for software.

[Gohron]

Broad patents shouldn't be allowed. They restrict cultural advancement and also allow simple ideas to combat advancement on many levels.

[Josh]

Everybody needs to listen to Episode 441 of This American Life: When Patents Attack!.

True story: the This American Life app is one of the best purchases I've made for iOS.