Oh, God, another Troll Alert!

May 3, 2006
No sooner has Blackberry maker RIM managed to pay enough blackmail to escape its first set of patent trolls, another, potentially more serious troll has come down the pike. Visto Networks, set up long after RIM, now claims its patents are being infringed by Blackberry. Visto was set up in 1996, and is RIM's only real competitor in the mobile email category. Having failed to overtake RIM in the commercial arena, Visto now expects to lawyer RIM to death. Clearly they have no hope of putting RIM ...
No sooner has Blackberry maker RIM managed to pay enough blackmail to escape its first set of patent trolls, another, potentially more serious troll has come down the pike. Visto Networks, set up long after RIM, now claims its patents are being infringed by Blackberry. Visto was set up in 1996, and is RIM's only real competitor in the mobile email category. Having failed to overtake RIM in the commercial arena, Visto now expects to lawyer RIM to death. Clearly they have no hope of putting RIM out of business, but the FUD created will certainly hamper RIM's ability to compete with the very people who are suing them. This case will now drag on forever. Thanks to the very agreeable judge in the last case, RIM has been shown to be willing to pay huge amounts of blackmail to be let alone. Doesn't everybody see, yet, that our patent system is way beyond broken? My brother-in-law, G. A. "Bill" Wilcher, has produced innovative products for chlorination and dechlorination systems for over twenty-five years (you can see what he does at http://www.ardenindustries.com -- very cool stuff). He refuses to patent his systems. He says, "I make them. When the lawyers call with their cease and desist nonsense, I tell them I've been in business making these products longer than their clients, who are clearly ripping off my designs. I never hear from the lawyers again. Why should I bother with patents?" Frankly, he has a point.

Sponsored Recommendations

Make Effortless HMI and PLC Modifications from Anywhere

The tiny EZminiWiFi is a godsend for the plant maintenance engineers who need to make a minor modification to the HMI program or, for that matter, the PLC program. It's very easy...

The Benefits of Using American-Made Automation Products

Discover the benefits of American-made automation products, including stable pricing, faster delivery, and innovative features tailored to real-world applications. With superior...

50 Years of Automation Innovation and What to Expect Next

Over the past 50 years, the automation technology landscape has changed dramatically, but many of the underlying industry needs remain unchanged. To learn more about what’s changed...

Manufacturing Marvels Highlights Why EZAutomation Is a Force to Be Reckoned With

Watch EZAutomation's recent feature on the popular FOX Network series "Manufacturing Marvels" and discover what makes them a force to be reckoned with in industrial automation...