Bootstrapping Our Way Across the Curriculum
WoW and SL put on Notice by Worlds.com
Interesting article: http://www.businessinsider.com/worldscom-ceo-were-absolutely-going-...
Seems that Worlds is looking for some quick cash. They are claiming patent infringement by some of the largest MMORPG's. Apparently, Worlds put on their patent troll gear and went dungeoning to find a patent that would make them some gold. They purchased Starbright patents which presumably are close to the architecture used by most virtual worlds to manage the massive number of users. I wish they would have included the patent numbers.
It is sad that they are taking something that was developed specifically for terminally ill kids and trying to make a few billion off of it. If they are successful, will they give their proceeds back to Starbright and/or Make a Wish?
What does it mean for users? Well higher subscriptions rates of course. Most companies will pass these costs onto their customers. However, Worlds has be to successful first and they are trying against a less well know company, NCSoft. Clearly an attempt to set precedence against someone they consider less likely to afford a good attorney. Once they have a precedent then SL and WoW are going to be in trouble. I wonder if WoW and SL are in contact with NCSoft to see if they need any help. :-)
I love that they got their advice to pursue the patents from a company whose web site has the following quote in very large font : "[General Patent] specializes… in helping cash-strapped independent inventors pursue their patent claims against the big guys." Sounds very trollish to me.
I'm sure that in the next WoW update, there will be patent trolls in some of the Heroic Level instances. lol.
Seems that Worlds is looking for some quick cash. They are claiming patent infringement by some of the largest MMORPG's. Apparently, Worlds put on their patent troll gear and went dungeoning to find a patent that would make them some gold. They purchased Starbright patents which presumably are close to the architecture used by most virtual worlds to manage the massive number of users. I wish they would have included the patent numbers.
It is sad that they are taking something that was developed specifically for terminally ill kids and trying to make a few billion off of it. If they are successful, will they give their proceeds back to Starbright and/or Make a Wish?
What does it mean for users? Well higher subscriptions rates of course. Most companies will pass these costs onto their customers. However, Worlds has be to successful first and they are trying against a less well know company, NCSoft. Clearly an attempt to set precedence against someone they consider less likely to afford a good attorney. Once they have a precedent then SL and WoW are going to be in trouble. I wonder if WoW and SL are in contact with NCSoft to see if they need any help. :-)
I love that they got their advice to pursue the patents from a company whose web site has the following quote in very large font : "[General Patent] specializes… in helping cash-strapped independent inventors pursue their patent claims against the big guys." Sounds very trollish to me.
I'm sure that in the next WoW update, there will be patent trolls in some of the Heroic Level instances. lol.
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