The suits accuse Amazon of willfully violating technology patents covering such services as allowing users to order items from an electronic catalog and displaying advertising in an interactive service.

Now this is something that really should be patented. Like steering wheels. Or devices intended to pick up hot liquids from porcellan bowls. Or rubber bands designed to prevent your pants from slipping.

Next time let's award patents for complicated algs, like incrementing a variable.

nerd.

... or for one click purchases ;)

Excellent News!

Personally I'm hoping IBM wins a fortune from them!

The Patent Office allows "business methods" to be patented. Until that policy is modified or reversed--which may take an act of Congress--companies will continue to patent business methods and continue to sue.

Personally I'm hoping IBM wins a fortune from them!

Personally, I hope IBM goes to Hell.

It is unfortunate....big companies can afford to patent/trademark/register a copyright on everything. Small guys can't. The laws were made to protect the inventor so no one else could copy the idea and compete with them in the marketplace. Without that protection, in theory, no one would innovate.

But it's turned into where a small guy could patent something, but would not be able to defend the patent against someone the size of IBM or Amazon.com. The laws do need to change...until then, we have these silly urinating distance competitions between two Goliaths.

I am wondering if this is in repsonse to something else.

IBM was part of a group that pooled all their patents together and made them available for all.

I am parapharsing here, but I beleive they had said they would only use their pooled patents agaisnt another company if that company didn't open up their patents under open-source or LGPL or some such thing.

I am a little fuzzy on the details but it was something of that nature and so it surprises me that IBM would move forward unless this was about something else that is underlining.

I am filing a patent for:

"A method to allow customers entry to an establishment to conduct business therein."

And...

"A device to faciliate discussion and negotiation about business matters while on the business premise."

Absolute control of the door and the conference table will be only the first small steps in my plan for domination of the entire world :)

WBF

I am wondering if this is in repsonse to something else.

I had heard that IBM would give a discount to anyone who was willing to purchase IBM's software solutions with any other kind of service they offer, like patent licensing.

Amazon did the exact same thing a year or so ago...Guess they'll experience what its like to be on the other side

My patent: "Method for suing other companies for no reason"

there's no prior use...is there ;)?

Personally, I hope IBM goes to Hell.

I'm sure Microsoft will be there to meet them

/not Bill Gates though
//just the corporation
///and that damn butterfly logo too

It gives the lawyers something to do. At the time these patents were issued for these ideas. Yes, contrary to patents laws, you can patent an idea if it involves electronics means of doing something.