From the Department of Irony:
Microsoft was told by a federal jury to pay $388 million to a Singapore company for infringing a patented invention used to deter software piracy.
The jury in Providence, R.I., deliberated less than two days before finding Wednesday that Microsoft violated a patent owned by Uniloc Singapore Private and Uniloc USA. Uniloc claimed Microsoft wrongfully used its security technology to earn billions of dollars.
Though my understanding is that Microsoft has taken Uniloc’s president hostage in an effort to negotiate a more favorable settlement.
Goldy–
For decades Microsoft has been accused of legal-feeing little guys to death and taking their work.
Microsoft has buildings full of attorneys…and have had plenty of legal Budget since inception.
Ask your friend, Attorney Gates Sr. about these ongoing type of legal issues.
Good of you to bring it up.
In other news, it’s cold outside!
From the Torygraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ear.....snaps.html
Brrrrrr…..
http://news.nationalgeographic.....unger.html
Science-hating right wing fools…
YLB–
A wee bit off-topic, don’t you think?
Oh, that’s right…you don’t think!
@1 For decades Microsoft has been accused of legal-feeing little guys to death and taking their work.
————
Amen, to say nothing of the monopolistic practices . . . where have you been, Goldy?
dave–
Goldy has given Microsoft a pass on all this cuz they lean hard to the Left…and Gates, Sr. is Goldy’s USEFUL IDIOT for an income tax.
Just a little perspective dave.
@6 Goldy’s USEFUL IDIOT for an income tax.
Goldy may end up getting HIS tax in the end because of the way the state is managing its pension fund:
http://pensionpulse.blogspot.c.....sions.html
dave–
Excellent link–
Isn’t it amazing the MSM has said nothing about this?? I was told “it isn’t a presing issue like the current Budget”.
How short-sighted.
No one has been held accountable Dave.
Joe Dear, the Executive Director, quit and ran to California earlier this year.
Lots of Red Flags..No Press.
It’s outrageous.
Someone needs to examine the hedge Fund investments & explain to the Public why these risky investments were prudent for a Defined Benefit Pension Plan.
I think the Public will go nuts when they see the total picture. When they see the Pension situation and the TOTAL COMPENSATION package for State Employees (Benefits average 30% and Paid time-off is 16%,,holidays, vacations, sick leave etc.)…they will throw the bums out and never approve a new tax.
A person would have to be pretty naive to believe a Tax-the-rich Income Tax scheme wouldn’t quickly expand and have major consequences.
@9 Isn’t it amazing the MSM has said nothing about this??
——–
Isn’t it even more amazing that Goldy, who has been relentless, even fanatical, in sorting through the state’s spending/revenue picture, has TOTALLY missed – or ignored – this story? If there’s a place for HA to make its mark as an alternative to traditional media, its right here under HA’s nose.
Microsoft stole someone else’s idea? No! You don’t say! MS wouldn’t do that, er, would they?
@1 Of course I own MSFT shares. They’re exactly the kind of greedy, sticky-fingered, thieving enterprise I love to invest it! If someone is stealing, and is good at it, and can afford teams of smart lawyers to fend off any legal consequences, you’d better believe I want a piece of that action! If the GOP was a publicly traded corporation I would buy their stock! When it comes to making money the only thing that matters is the money! But when it comes to social policy — how citizens treat each other — that’s an entirely different story. On matters of political, social, and economic policy, I vote Democrat! That’s because I believe that players like you and me need to be regulated for the good of society.
Maybe Singapore should ask for the extradition of Microsoft executives. Singapore uses caning as punishment for a number of offenses.
Dave @5,
Where have I been regarding Microsoft’s monopolistic practices? In the fucking trenches, that’s where.
From the small-print legal disclaimer on the bottom flap of the circa 1998 retail packaging of the software I published, “A Zillion Kajillion Rhymes”:
All of the legal disclaimers on all of the retail packaging of all our products mockingly chronicled Microsoft’s predatory practices and our own interactions with their legal department.
So don’t preach to me about the Microsoft monopoly. I was in that business at the time they helped drive hundreds of independent developers and publishers out of business.
I think you left about a quarter million words off that list, Goldy. When they start copyrighting articles and prepositions we’ll be in very big trouble.
@13 So don’t preach to me about the Microsoft monopoly. I was in that business at the time they helped drive hundreds of independent developers and publishers out of business.
Tsk, tsk . . . good for you!
Then you, I, and Cynical are in perfect harmony when it comes to Microsoft!
dave @15,
No, Cynical doesn’t stand for anything. He just enjoys playing rhetorical Pong.
Goldy,
Though my understanding is that Microsoft has taken Uniloc’s president hostage in an effort to negotiate a more favorable settlement.
I’ve just received an internal memo informing us that Uniloc’s president is being held hostage in a rubber raft somewhere outside Uniloc’s corporate headquarters, and that we’re supposed to be gathering supplies to be airlifted in later this week. I’m donating an old MacBook Air.
16. Goldy spews:
Gee Goldy, are you trying to hurt my feelings?
Of course I stand strongly for Conservative principles. You may have worked yourself up to the point where that is nothing….put can’t you at least respect our differences.
You know…diversity & tolerance.
Your mantra, isn’t it??
Oh yeah, only when folks AGREE with you.
Listen Goldy, differences of opinion are mighty important in this complex world in which we live in. Around HA, folks tend to talk over each other. Nothing will ever get resolved. It is a cesspool of ideas & beliefs.
You have yours, I have mine.
Are you watching The Masters??
Some great scores today.
They need to toughen the course up or hope for bad weather.
Hardly “Major” caliber.
26 players currently 2 under or better.
42 players under par
Tiger is 1-over after 6…tied for 55th with 19 other guys including Mickelson who is on #17.