All posts by Arjen Lentz

Dad, parallel entrepreneur, cook, gardener, explorer, philosopher, tinkerer....

Patent Troll Says Anyone Using WiFi Infringes – Techdirt

http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20111001/00365416161/patent-troll-says-anyone-using-wifi-infringes-wont-sue-individuals-this-stage.shtml

Just in case you still thought that software and abstract/method patents were a good and sane idea promoting business and innovation… do read this article on Techdirt. This new troll approach is all about going after small businesses that offer Wi-Fi services. You know, your local coffee shop, your library, the hotel down the way.

It’s a simple extortion scheme: “Pay us a few grand and we won’t sue you.” Even if it wouldn’t hold up in court, a small business can’t afford the legal expense and is likely to simply pay up on demand. All of us will get targeted directly or indirectly by this nonsense, it really has to stop – be stopped.

Also note this article from 2008, referencing a Haliburton patent application for the process for patent trolling. I kid you not. A quick search at USPTO reveals that the application still exists in the system (but hasn’t been approved at least).

OpenCores – Open Source hardware all the way to CPU design

This project is a good example of Upstarta principle#4: “Pragmatic on Intellectual Property (IP): speed-to-market over protection. Share information. No software patents.”

OpenCores.org host the source code for different digital hardware projects (IP-cores, System-on-Chip, boards, etc) and support the users with different tools, platforms, forums and other useful information.

Considering the complexity of designing and validating (debugging) these systems, the process becomes prohibitively expensive when done in-house, while fundamentally there’s nothing unique in there that must be hidden/protected to have a viable business model. So with benefits of cost as well as development speed, the openness becomes a true enabler: it allows startups and small businesses to consider this technology, which would otherwise be simply inconceivable.

Calculating the real value to society of different professions – Neweconomics.org

An Exciting New Brand

Last year I got a letter from Queensland Motorways, announcing their “Exciting New Brand” (I kid you not). They’d renamed “E-Toll” in to “GO Via”. So this “brand” is about toll roads/bridges. Not really a product/service that you or I are likely to get more excited about.

I actually found the term E-Toll fairly good and descriptive: people know what toll is, and the E indicates it going electronic (mail -> Email). It’s clear.

GO Via on the other hand is some marketing or brand expert trying to be too smart and funny. I do get the word pun: Via = Road in Latin. Haha? I do love word puns, but use when appropriate! This one makes the brand non-descriptive of what it does (for most people), ditches the recognition of the old brand, and probably cost quite a bit of money to develop. For what purpose, and has it reached that objective? Was it likely to? Seems like a complete fail to me.