The End Of Software - Anibal's Blog

Recently, I've blogged about Microsoft enforcing the FAT patent against TomTom. It ended as a settlement forcing TomTom to pay a fee and remove the technology within two years. As a conclusion Linux Foundation's Jim Zemlin recommends to avoid the technology.

Also, the Open Invention Network is fighting back looking for previous art on FAT, in a way to invalidate the patent, under the program Linux Defenders "Architected to eliminate poor quality patents and ensure that only high quality patents issue, the Linux Defenders program enables individuals and organizations to efficiently contribute to: “Defensive Publications” that codify ‘known’ inventions that have not previously been patented so that they can be brought to the attention of the patent office to ensure that later developed patent..."

Now a new chapter was opened, Discovery vs. Amazon: as Amazon is having success with Kindle, Discovery Communications attacked with a patent claim (what Discovery would have done if Kindle was a failure, not a suit for sure). Also we can note the timing, when the Kindle second version is in the streets. The next step was Amazon (big patent fan) firing back with two legal actions, denying the original claim and opening a new suit based on infringed patents by Discovery, around search and recommendation methods. What a waste of effort and creativity, I think Discovery is trying to cash back the patents without carefully understand where it's heading.

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