[mythtv-users] TiVo's Future May Hinge on Patent Case

Steven Adeff adeffs.mythtv at gmail.com
Wed Apr 5 20:25:30 UTC 2006


On 4/5/06, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org> wrote:
> On Apr 5, 2006, at 1:14 PM, Steven Adeff wrote:
> > On 4/5/06, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org> wrote:
> >> On Apr 5, 2006, at 12:43 PM, Steven Adeff wrote:
> >>> On 4/5/06, Wylie Swanson <wylie.swanson at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>> Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/zd/20060404/tc_zd/175015
> >>> <snip>
> >>>
> >>> a simple example of how patents stifle innovation.
> >>
> >>
> >> But the whole thing is ridiculous. Video was being captured and
> >> stored on hard drives long before TiVo or EchoStar even existed.
> >>
> >> Technically the old Ampex hard-disk slo-mo machine, though analog,
> >> would qualify, and using one for each camera at a sporting event,
> >> which was commonly done in the 70's, would qualify as "recording one
> >> channel while watching another".
> >>
> >> The only thing TiVo or Echostar "invented" was marketing, not
> >> engineering.
> >>
> >> How many countries other than our own litigation-leading USA would
> >> even permit such a case to get to court ??
> >
> > I believe the whole European Union software patent thing proves the EU
> > would, but the EU is really a uSA Jr. (with a side of Fries), so I
> > guess thats to be expected.
> >
>
> Is TiVo claiming a software patent infringement ? I thought it was
> standard patent infringement case. If they are claiming  a software
> patent a whole 'nother bag of worms opens up, as TiVo is already
> avoiding GPL problems by the skin of their teeth, and would be in
> violation of the proposed GPL-3 language, should the Linux kernel
> ever go to that (which it looks like it won't).

no, their claiming concept infringement. "We thought of it, your
business model is working better!".

but that is basically what software patents are. "Here's an idea for
clicking *once*! to purchase something....". thats not what patents
are for.

--
Steve


More information about the mythtv-users mailing list