http://disqus.com/people/804bb8417fea2ad235cd86fcaa80a6fc/enMon, 05 Dec 2005 12:39:45 -0000http://tlf.disqus.com/blackberry_blackout/#comment-1444717Possibility that the shutdown would cause a catastrophe which would inspire millions to plead for patent reform is talked about <a href="http://righttocreate.blogspot.com/2005/12/blackberry-with-gun-against-its-head.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>.<br><p><br>Perhaps more interesting news to you would be that the <a href="http://righttocreate.blogspot.com/2005/12/uspto-to-invalidate-ntp-patent.html" rel="nofollow">USPTO looks like it is going to invalidate all 5 of NTP's core patents</a> that it is trying to excercise against RIM, but the courts have already decided to force a settlement without waiting for the USPTO's final ruling.<br></p><p><br>You don't need to care about the particulars of the case between these two, but you should care about a terribly broken patent system that rewards abusive government-backed monopolies on obvious and vague ideas, often even if those ideas are already embodied in common practice. The NTP patents are a perfect example of this -- they cover using a wireless medium to transmit email. Innovative, no? I don't know about you, but I'm sure glad NTP invented that idea, or else no one would have ever figured it out [sarcasm off].<br></p><p><br>If the USPTO doesn't invalidate these patents, I guess we're (not just RIM -- all of us) looking at 20 years of paying NTP for their email-over-wireless patent(s). Because, guaranteed, if they prevail against RIM, they'll go after everyone else that does anything even vaguely similar, including cell-phone makers/providers, maybe even that wireless hub you have in your home -- ever sent email with that baby?</p>yorkstonMon, 05 Dec 2005 12:39:45 -0000