Comments on: Apple settles with patent holder on iTunes

With Microsoft and Apple crossed off its list, E-Data sues Amazon, Ticketmaster and others.

[dhammond]

This is garbage

So they have a patent on being able to transmit or download anything to a remote device. Give me a break.

Ever heard of cable TV. They have been transmitting content to remote devices and charging people for it long before 1985.

How about satellite and network TV? They have been tranmitting and selling content to their affiliates forever.

This is what is wrong with the current patent systems. Rather than actually create and/or build anything of value, the current thinking is just randomly come up with possible ideas and file a patent on them. Sooner or later somebody will build something that fits this ideas, and then you sue them. This is bad for all of us and these leeches should be curtailed.

And another interesting fact is that E-data's "patent" was granted in 1985. Since the term of a patent is 20 years, their rights disappear next year. So I guess their business model is sue 'em while we can. Scumbags!

scumbags indeed!

more than the content of a patent, it seems to be the skill of the patent lawyer who drafts it that determines it's worth! I feel patents should also provide a list of applications envisioned.
If someone comes up with something that is not on the list, it should not be considered an infrigement. That way, a cleverly written patent won't (like E-Data's one) won't create such problems.

It is a stupid, horrible law.

And this is just the beginning. A case in point
is M$ who have amassed 3000+ of such applications
with a good number dwelling on several conceivable
uses of XML technology. Unless something changes
in patent law, the world is in for a sickening
time in the near future. Patents are bad enough
but the fact that all you need to apply for
a patent is just an idea (no tangible development
work for proof of concept is required), makes it
even worse. You may have read about this:
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/networks/0,39020345,39158406,00.htm

[KDoggMDF]

This is bull_shit

You've got to be joking me. This is absofuckinglutley mad. Look at the huge array of companies and the different range of products that they all sell, all being sued by one company. Either the company is poor as hell or is just plain stupid and greedy. My god. Come on. You dont sue people for a technology EVERYBODY uses now. Just like the other poster on here said regarding cable tv and satellite. Its not like the person who thought up those ideas is sueing them now. Come on!

[unknown unknown]

Shouldn't this patent be expiring soon?

According to the USPTO website this patent (4,528,643) was granted July 9, 1985. If a patent expires after 20 years this one should be up next year.