Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.
Re: Amazon patents -- their fault?
Author: Eric Kidd Posted: 3/10/2000; 11:18:45 AM Topic: Amazon patents -- their fault? Msg #: 15513 (In response to 15504) Prev/Next: 15512 / 15514
The VCs made a big deal about having a "non-volatile competitive advantage" (translate: patent!) in what we were doing, to assure that we would have the prospective market to ourselves.Yeah, I've heard this story from a number of people. Some VCs are willing to use any tool at their disposal to crush the competition. I think a few of them would rather accept cash handouts from the government than actually pick winning teams and worry about their customers.
Sorry to rant at you. :-)
Employment Contracts
If you're a programmer or a consultant, check your contracts. You'll probably find some nasty boilerplate about patents. You're probably required to sign any patent application your employer or client hands you. I quote:
Consultant agrees to assist Company, or its designee, at Company's expense, in every proper way to secure Company's rights in the Inventions and any copyrights, patents, mask work rights or other intellectual property rights relating thereto in any and all countries...
There's usually another section in which you authorize the company to sign "your" patent applications for you, should you be unavailable or refuse. How many people have renegotiated these contracts to exclude patents?
Cheers,
Eric
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