Patent Troll Ready to Sue World of Warcraft, Second Life
- Thread starter Andy Chalk
- Start date
I also remember chasing my friend at 8 with pointed fingers and shouting 'BANG!'
EA owe me SO much money for the Medal of Honour series.
EA owe me SO much money for the Medal of Honour series.
This is one of the main reasons I'm against all these bullshit copyright laws. It works against its purpose and ends up stifling competition, and turns all art forms into corporate battles, adding middle men where they don't belong. It's all just bullshit.
Patenting an idea is a ridiculous thing. MMOs owe NONE of their success to this douche bag and he doesn't deserve a dime, though I wouldn't be surprised if he gets some money. Inventions become successful because of proper marketing and implementation, not simply because they were conceived. There is virtually no idea that is an instant sell, and there are many inferior ideas that sell very well.
Just look at the iPod. That was not the first MP3 player, and it wasn't the best, and it still is far from the best. But it's the implentation and the marketing where it really succeeds. It's viewed as the best - or at least the most convenient. But does the guy who sat on his ass 20 years ago thinking "hey, what if I made a digitized music player with a spinning wheel" deserve money for something he had no role in making successful? Why should the inventor do none of the work and have none of the risk, but still be compensated?
Patenting an idea is a ridiculous thing. MMOs owe NONE of their success to this douche bag and he doesn't deserve a dime, though I wouldn't be surprised if he gets some money. Inventions become successful because of proper marketing and implementation, not simply because they were conceived. There is virtually no idea that is an instant sell, and there are many inferior ideas that sell very well.
Just look at the iPod. That was not the first MP3 player, and it wasn't the best, and it still is far from the best. But it's the implentation and the marketing where it really succeeds. It's viewed as the best - or at least the most convenient. But does the guy who sat on his ass 20 years ago thinking "hey, what if I made a digitized music player with a spinning wheel" deserve money for something he had no role in making successful? Why should the inventor do none of the work and have none of the risk, but still be compensated?
To hell with the legal matters, it'd be the RIGHT thing to do.Copter400 said:
If he had this idea since 1995, and sat on his ass and did NOTHING whilst these other companies went out and created their MMO's, he doesn't deserve a damn, bloody, cent.
People like him are parasites, leeches on our society.
Me: Hello, is this Mr. Thom Kidrin
Kidrin: Yes, this is he
Me: Mr. Kidrin, this is the Real World calling to let you know that your subscription ran out and YOU ARE NO LONGER IN TOUCH WITH FUCKING REALITY.
Honestly, what has the world come to? "Intellectual Property"? What a highly pretentious and self important term that is. It basically means "I thought of it first but didn't think to patent it." Kidrin is a moron. We all know this. It's only after 12 million people started paying 15 bucks a month for WoW that he decides to sue, on top of the other millions playing assorted other MMOGs. I guess we just have to settle for the fact that he didn't get the memo that he missed the proverbial money train. He just wants a slice now because Blizzard can basically just print money because they make so much.
Kidrin: Yes, this is he
Me: Mr. Kidrin, this is the Real World calling to let you know that your subscription ran out and YOU ARE NO LONGER IN TOUCH WITH FUCKING REALITY.
Honestly, what has the world come to? "Intellectual Property"? What a highly pretentious and self important term that is. It basically means "I thought of it first but didn't think to patent it." Kidrin is a moron. We all know this. It's only after 12 million people started paying 15 bucks a month for WoW that he decides to sue, on top of the other millions playing assorted other MMOGs. I guess we just have to settle for the fact that he didn't get the memo that he missed the proverbial money train. He just wants a slice now because Blizzard can basically just print money because they make so much.
OK, calm down guys. You clearly have little understanding of the world of IP and patent law. I know I wish I didn't have even the knowledge I do, it is rather tedious, and seems to mainly be an excuse to keep lawyers in jobs.
This guy isn't claiming to have thought the idea up. What he has done though is buy a company which apparently submitted a patent in 1995, which has never been acted on.
Now, the salient points for the defence will be:
1. Was the patent application valid in the first place? The lawyers will pick it apart, and any minor details that are wrong can render it invalid.
2. Prior Art- does, for instance, the work of William Gibson count as prior art? This is far from clear cut.
3. Prior art- were there any 3D virtual worlds around before the date of the patent application?
4. Does "but in 3D!" count as a real "innovative step" over a 2D virtual world, or can it be argued that it was an inevitable direction the technology would proceed in?
Many, many approved patents are in fact junk. Often, the only way to find this out is in fact for someone to infringe one, and for the patent holder (who may not be the original inventor- after all, if I invent something at work, my employer gets all the rights) to try and sue for infringement.
Clearly, the previous owner of these rights never felt it worth pursuing. Perhaps there's a clue there.
This guy isn't claiming to have thought the idea up. What he has done though is buy a company which apparently submitted a patent in 1995, which has never been acted on.
Now, the salient points for the defence will be:
1. Was the patent application valid in the first place? The lawyers will pick it apart, and any minor details that are wrong can render it invalid.
2. Prior Art- does, for instance, the work of William Gibson count as prior art? This is far from clear cut.
3. Prior art- were there any 3D virtual worlds around before the date of the patent application?
4. Does "but in 3D!" count as a real "innovative step" over a 2D virtual world, or can it be argued that it was an inevitable direction the technology would proceed in?
Many, many approved patents are in fact junk. Often, the only way to find this out is in fact for someone to infringe one, and for the patent holder (who may not be the original inventor- after all, if I invent something at work, my employer gets all the rights) to try and sue for infringement.
Clearly, the previous owner of these rights never felt it worth pursuing. Perhaps there's a clue there.
If this man succeeds, every MMO player on the face of the earth will be thinking about buying tickets to Texas. Some will.
Mr Kidrin, buy a gun. Several guns. [/humorous but sensible advice]
I wish that parasitic idiots like this man would stop abusing the legal system.
Mr Kidrin, buy a gun. Several guns. [/humorous but sensible advice]
I wish that parasitic idiots like this man would stop abusing the legal system.
Fuck.
I hate these patent trolls beyond belief. I understand what these intellectual property laws mean but you can't just file a patent. I really don't mind if it's a specific patent like the levelling system's mechanics but something this large and broad is ridiculous. That's like suuing every RPG publisher because you had the idea to transfer the mechanics of PnP games to a computer screen. it's just stupid. this guy should get no money, i hope he loses. He should work for his money not steal it.
I hate these patent trolls beyond belief. I understand what these intellectual property laws mean but you can't just file a patent. I really don't mind if it's a specific patent like the levelling system's mechanics but something this large and broad is ridiculous. That's like suuing every RPG publisher because you had the idea to transfer the mechanics of PnP games to a computer screen. it's just stupid. this guy should get no money, i hope he loses. He should work for his money not steal it.
I doubt it'll work, i mean everyone knows blizzard equips their lawyers with armours with the highest defence ratings for times like this.
Blizzard wont fear any critical damage.
Alternatively, it could simply be argued that 2D virtual worlds have been around for ages and that moving onto taking that extra dimension was a matter of time.
Blizzard wont fear any critical damage.
Alternatively, it could simply be argued that 2D virtual worlds have been around for ages and that moving onto taking that extra dimension was a matter of time.
Some patents are truly ridiculous. He holds a patent for virtual worlds to be used in multiplayer? That's like holding a patent to being able to write about spaceships in science fiction. It is just retarded. There is no way that this guy should be able to sue and win.
If he truly has a patent for this, then he isn't at fault - he's clearly greedy, yes, but it is the fault of the companies he is planning to sue for not ensuring that they are in the clear legally.
If you were to try and patent a virtual world now, you'd be laughed at, but I suspect that in 1995 it was perfectly fine for him to patent this. After all, in 1995 there weren't huge businesses making profit off of subscriptions to MMOs.
Thus, whilst he is indeed being a tad ridiculous, it is well within his rights - providing he does truly have the patent - to sue.
Of course, his patent may in fact be riddled with loopholes, but to say that 'intellectual property' has no value is...well, kind of depressing to me.
If you were to try and patent a virtual world now, you'd be laughed at, but I suspect that in 1995 it was perfectly fine for him to patent this. After all, in 1995 there weren't huge businesses making profit off of subscriptions to MMOs.
Thus, whilst he is indeed being a tad ridiculous, it is well within his rights - providing he does truly have the patent - to sue.
Of course, his patent may in fact be riddled with loopholes, but to say that 'intellectual property' has no value is...well, kind of depressing to me.
Yup, better be spending that money on extra security. I'm sure I remember stories about someone in the far east killing someone over some sort of MMO based dispute. Probably complete made up garbage, but maybe not...are you willing to risk it Mr Kidrin? What if it stops these companies supporting their products? Shutting down the servers? Hordes of pissed off gamers, who's one purpose in life you have taken away, out for your blood. Unstoppable killing machines with nothing left to lose...you sir, are doomed.aussiesniper said: