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Tobias Sjodin
Ore Mongers BricK sQuAD.
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Posted - 2009.09.19 16:34:00 -
[1]
From Slashdot:
Quote:
The Boston Globe reports that major MMO publishers (Blizzard, Turbine, SOE, NCSoft, and Jagex) are being sued by Paltalk, which holds a patent on 'sharing data among many connected computers so that all users see the same digital environment' ù a patent that would seem to apply to any multiplayer game played between multiple systems, at the very least. Paltalk has already received an out-of-court settlement from Microsoft earlier this year in relation to a lawsuit over the Halo games. If Microsoft can't fend off Paltalk's legal attacks, the odds don't look good for their latest group of targets.
source: Slashdot
Translated from swedish gaming-newspaper FZ:
It's time again for another totally crazy lawsuit from the big country in the west. A company called "Paltalk" has dug up an old patent that includes "the sharing of data between many users so that all the users share the same digital environment" and they are now hunting a number of large gaming companies that are in violation of said patent, which is basically every company that are commercially running an MMO.
How insane that even sounds, Microsoft apparently has made a deal with Paltalk outside the court and while it's not official how many zeroes that were written on the check, the Paltalk attorney said that they were "very pleased" with the arrangement. How Blizzard, SOE and NCSoft, etc. will be able to handle this remains to be seen.
Translation by yours truly. Source: FragZone
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Orion Eridanus
Dakota HeadHunters
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Posted - 2009.09.19 16:49:00 -
[2]
I could have sworn Paltalk did this 2 years ago
Originally by: Paulo Damarr That is a most Excellent Drake fitting, you are lucky to have survived.
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Destination SkillQueue
Are We There Yet
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Posted - 2009.09.19 16:56:00 -
[3]
Originally by: Orion Eridanus I could have sworn Paltalk did this 2 years ago
I seem to recall something like that too. It sounds rediculous and didn't lead to anything then and propably isn't going to do that now either. They propably have just calculated, that the chance of settlement from even one of the companies will more then cover all expences(as hinted by the MS settlement) and they have a miniscule chance of a true jackpot.
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Jacob Mei
Gallente
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Posted - 2009.09.19 17:11:00 -
[4]
Edited by: Jacob Mei on 19/09/2009 17:12:27 They did, though they targeted only Microsoft who settled out of court. This sounds like a case of David fighting Golith and now feels like he can tak eon the world. According to various other articles this whole thing stinks, as Paltalk bought the patients and specificly chose the east texas court due to its history of favoring the plaintive. In short they are using every dirty trick in the book.
According to the wiki, Paltalk is primarly a chat room company of various forms and apparently one of its useres commited suicide over webcam in a "insult room".
Hopefully them going after several targets at once will result in them banding togeather and each company combining their armies of lawyers to put an end to this crap. On an unrelated note, Kneel before Zod! |
Florio
Miniature Giant Space Hamsters
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Posted - 2009.09.19 17:14:00 -
[5]
There are companies out there whose sole purpose is copyrighting thousands upon thousands of obscure things in the expectation that someone else will make something commercial with one of those things. Then they can then sue. They hire the brightest minds they can get hold of to sit in a room just making stuff up.
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Brujo Loco
Amarr Brujeria Teologica
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Posted - 2009.09.19 18:58:00 -
[6]
<tinfoil hat on>
But if this happened and they actually settled with Microsoft, what's to stop them , say Microsoft from having someone create a dummy corp, then sue itself with this dummy corp , and lose on purpose, just so it can create a standard , then by the use of third party corps control the MMO market? And when all is done, Microsoft "buys" the patent thus becoming #1 controller of MMO patents all around?
<tinfoil hat off>
---
Viva VENEZUELA!!! Archipelago Theory
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rValdez5987
Amarr Imperial Guard.
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Posted - 2009.09.20 07:00:00 -
[7]
Originally by: Jacob Mei Edited by: Jacob Mei on 19/09/2009 17:12:27 They did, though they targeted only Microsoft who settled out of court. This sounds like a case of David fighting Golith and now feels like he can tak eon the world. According to various other articles this whole thing stinks, as Paltalk bought the patients and specificly chose the east texas court due to its history of favoring the plaintive. In short they are using every dirty trick in the book.
According to the wiki, Paltalk is primarly a chat room company of various forms and apparently one of its useres commited suicide over webcam in a "insult room".
Hopefully them going after several targets at once will result in them banding togeather and each company combining their armies of lawyers to put an end to this crap.
Using dirty tricks is the American way.
/me dons flamesuit
No seriously, sometimes I wonder if I'd of had better luck with Germany winning the war....
/me gets coat and hat |
F'nog
Amarr Celestial Horizon Corp.
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Posted - 2009.09.20 07:50:00 -
[8]
There's absolutely no need to worry. CCP isn't mentioned in the OP
Originally by: Kazuma Saruwatari
F'nog for Amarr Emperor. Nuff said
Originally by: Chribba Go F'nog! You're a hero! Not a Zero! /me bows
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KristineKochanski
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Posted - 2009.09.20 08:33:00 -
[9]
I've not seen this so my reply is based solely on the evidence here.
Now the term 'sharing data among many connected computers so that all users see the same digital environment' is to say the least open to interpretation. My limited understanding of copy right law is that the defendant only has to show prior knowledge to the courts.
Put simply you can't patent something everyone is already doing. So the question here is when was this patent logged and does it proceed operating systems and applications such as TSO (Time sharing Option) and CICS (Customer Information Control System)both of which are Multi User Systems allowing a common application "environment" to be shared on mainframes.
TSO dates back to the beginning of the sixties.
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Haxfar Portlaind
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Posted - 2009.09.20 12:49:00 -
[10]
To me this like: "We "had" an idea and you got money now, I sue you!" Seriously, it only sounds, IMO, that they want money. If not, why wait until now??
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F'nog
Amarr Celestial Horizon Corp.
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Posted - 2009.09.20 13:04:00 -
[11]
Originally by: KristineKochanski Edited by: KristineKochanski on 20/09/2009 08:38:16 I've not seen this so my reply is based solely on the evidence here.
Now the term 'sharing data among many connected computers so that all users see the same digital environment' is to say the least open to interpretation. My limited understanding of copy right law is that the defendant only has to show prior knowledge to the courts.
Put simply you can't patent something everyone is already doing. So the question here is when was this patent logged and does it proceed operating systems and applications such as TSO (Time sharing Option) and CICS (Customer Information Control System)both of which are Multi User Systems allowing a common application "environment" to be shared on mainframes.
TSO dates back to the beginning of the sixties. Now you can get into the argument about whether this covers the "connected computers" aspect but you were able to connect PCs (Once they had been invented to the mainframe).
Also I remember a system from Ferranti which utilised "Terminal Servers" distributed computers that displayed the end environment merged with data from ICL mainframes to dumb terminals.
Excellent points, but if MS settle then ehere was at least a case there for them to worry. That's not to say that every MMOG should worry, but if one of the riches non-oil corps settles, then there may be something the rest will have to make their lawyers go over with a fine-toothed comb and a magnifying glass.
Most of it smells like a patent/copyright/trademark troll, and perhaps MS only agreed to pay the registrar's legal fees. But everyone else better be sure of why MS settled before they even consider it.
Originally by: Kazuma Saruwatari
F'nog for Amarr Emperor. Nuff said
Originally by: Chribba Go F'nog! You're a hero! Not a Zero! /me bows
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Dirty Wizard
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Posted - 2009.09.20 22:50:00 -
[12]
Edited by: Dirty Wizard on 20/09/2009 22:53:39 I heard they initially targeted NCSoft in it's weakened state. Hoping to succeed against NCSoft to set legal precedent for future cases against bigger MMO companies. Never heard how that turned out.
Some companies make broadly defined patents and sit on them for years at a time until an industry arises and revolves around it. Then they spring to life hoping to cash in by suing everyone.
The courts may throw out this case because it's obviously patent sitting and too much is already invested.
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Zeba
Minmatar Honourable East India Trading Company
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Posted - 2009.09.20 23:13:00 -
[13]
Originally by: F'nog Most of it smells like a patent/copyright/trademark troll, and perhaps MS only agreed to pay the registrar's legal fees. But everyone else better be sure of why MS settled before they even consider it.
MS lawyers probably figured out it was cheaper to just pay the guys some money in exchange for a legal agreement to never bother them again with petty money grabs. It's not like the amount would have made a 0.00000001% change in MS total worth anyways and closes the door to some omg huge court appointed reward later at a trial like that poor woman who riaa got for a mil per downloaded song or somesuch. MS back on trial is probably something they want to avoid at all cost after the last one.
Quote: [03:39:05] Emperor Salazar > HOLY **** ITS ZEBA [03:39:20] Emperor Salazar > NEVER STOP POASTING
Zeba is the BEST! ~Mitnal |
John Hollow
Minmatar Afterisk
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Posted - 2009.09.21 02:42:00 -
[14]
Every time I read something new about patents getting out of hand it makes me hate them more. Recently I've decided that a patent should only be used for submitting ideas to a company not for patenting your already in sale product. If someone can copy your idea and make it better, well you'll just have to try and one up them. That's how innovation happens.
Looking for people to test my website. It features gamer related greeting cards. Signup :) |
Jin Nib
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Posted - 2009.09.21 10:04:00 -
[15]
"the sharing of data between many users so that all the users share the same digital environment" sounds like it could apply to basically anything on the internet they want it to. Forums, web pages, hell even private company using the same software to put together products, etcetera.
Hopefully Blizzard will lead the charge to stomp these frivolous bastards into the ground. They don't have the same stigmas associated with them that Microsoft has so I doubt they would settle so easily. -Jin Nib Trading on behalf of Opera Noir since: 2009.03.02 03:53:00
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