[Mashables]Microsoft Sued by Z4 Technologies - Overclock.net

5entinel · 11-29-07

Quote:

Microsoft is succumbing to patent trolls today, as they’re being ordered to pay over $140 million for, get this, asking for two passwords. The original award was ordered in April last year by a federal jury in Marshall, Texas, widely known as the friendliest court for patent trolls. There Microsoft and Autodesk were saddled with $158 million (plus attorney fees) for asking users to “input two passwords during the process of activating newly installed software with the aim of deterring piracy.

has suing become a way of american culture, especially suing MS? What a moron.

Mashables

Turnoz · 11-29-07

hahahahaha!!!

Shadowrunner340 · 11-29-07

the judge who found for the prosecution is the ****ing moron

Coma · 11-29-07

What the ****? Why can you even patent this sort of thing?

Tiresias · 11-29-07

This is a dangerous precedent to set in the technology field, especially for an issue that is security-related. $158 million is absolutely nothing to Microsoft; I would bet that MS makes that much every 10 minutes. However, rulings like this one set a legal precedent that allows the plaintiff to go forth and sue anyone else who has used a similar method.

That judge needs to be disbarred.

Ecchi-BANZAII!!! · 11-29-07

The american dream just got sriten on this page... "Suing"

The Bartender Paradox · 11-29-07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiresias

This is a dangerous precedent to set in the technology field, especially for an issue that is security-related. $158 million is absolutely nothing to Microsoft; I would bet that MS makes that much every 10 minutes. However, rulings like this one set a legal precedent that allows the plaintiff to go forth and sue anyone else who has used a similar method.

That judge needs to be disbarred.

Unfortunately this is how the US patent and legal systems. Its been going on for quite some time. See patent troll.Its not the judges fault though, he had to hold up a legitimate patent. What is wrong is that a patent on something so stupid and above all obvious should have never been allowed.