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Re: The MP3 patent debacle
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 04:33:34 +0900
Begin forwarded message: From: Lars Poulsen <lars () beagle-ears com> Date: February 26, 2007 1:46:23 AM JST To: dave () farber net Subject: Re: [IP] Re: The MP3 patent debacle Four observations: (1) This is eerily similar to the GIF patents: An extortionary demand pops up only after a decade of widespread use, shortly before the patent expires (2) Although the alleged infringement is industry-wide and spurs fears throughout the developer community, the legal and monetary action is almost exclusively between a pair of large players with deep pockets and large legal staffs (3) The developer community urges rapid adoption of an open alternative, but it will not be deployed before patent expiration makes it moot. (4) Eventually, the well-known technology stays in place and is "safe" after the patents expire. We should not be surprised (only disappointed) that such a case is decided by a jury (from which anyone who understand the technical and economic issues will have been excluded). The great wonderment is that Microsoft seems to have been given no credit for actually having licensed (or at the very least made a full-faith effort to license) the patent in question. / Lars Poulsen ------------------------------------------- Archives: http://v2.listbox.com/member/archive/247/@now Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
Current thread:
- The MP3 patent debacle David Farber (Feb 24)
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- Re: The MP3 patent debacle David Farber (Feb 25)
- Re: The MP3 patent debacle David Farber (Feb 25)
- Re: The MP3 patent debacle David Farber (Feb 25)
- Re: The MP3 patent debacle David Farber (Feb 25)