Ridiculous eCommerce patents - should I be worried?

[Jan Wildeboer]

Arnoud Galactus Engelfriet schrieb:

> If your program is distributed on the US market, you may be
> in trouble.

Our program is free software, I have no way to control or restrict the 
distribution.

> Even your US team members may be in trouble, as
> "making a patented invention" is forbidden without permission.
> However, the big question for them is whether you're worth the
> effort. 

They are aiming at small companies - I checked the fifty companies that 
they have sued - none of them uses our program. But it also seems that 
they do not sue the program makers - only the users. Hrmpf.

> And I really really would like to stress that you should never
> say "our program exactly infringes those patents". If you get sued,
> and the opposing party finds this message in the public archive
> or something, you've basically lost the trial.

I didn't say that. Read those patents. They cover every program that 
uses text and images to sell a product. How can any eCommerce program 
not meet those specs? :-(

I guess we'll have to wait. Wonderful perspective. Two years of hard 
work by a big community can be easily turned down by ridiculous patents. 
Time for a revolution if you ask me ...

Jan Wildeboer