Acacia Steps Up Content-Transfer Patent Claims 184
MarkRH writes "Over at ExtremeTech we've got an in-depth story on the 20-odd suits being filed against the online porn industry by Acacia Research Corp., which has been previously covered on Slashdot. Now, several online porn companies are forming an association called IMPA (the 'Internet Media Protective Association'). We sat in on conference calls held by the industry, and interviewed Acacia executives. Bottom line: the porn industry is just the beginning."
It's ironic... (Score:5, Interesting)
It'd suck if this caused a damaging blow to the porn industry. It's probably the best proof out there that the internet *is* a place where people can make money with content without having to use DRM.
Contact the big guys yourself (Score:4, Interesting)
I imagine all these parties have employees who read slashdot, so they will see this thread. good luck.
Re:something srtange (Score:4, Interesting)
Of course, the Christian right has some sites that also use streaming video (see the link titled "Watch the Program" from CBN [cbn.com]).
Now, an alliance between the porn industry and CBN - that would be impressive...
They need to get the MPAA and RIAA in on this (Score:5, Interesting)
It seems to me that the fruit higher up should see how this is going to go. If they don't hang together they will assuredly all hang separately.
Paul.
Re:It's ironic... (Score:2, Interesting)
Nice claim, but the porn industry does, to some extent, employ DRM in many of the video content they allow to be downloaded.
There are video (porn) files floating around that can only be played a certain number of times (Windows media, not MPEG or AVI), and can not be played after being burned.
Re:It's ironic... (Score:4, Interesting)
Can anybody say Doctine of Laches? (Score:5, Interesting)
or better
http://www.zurichre-na.com/web/converium/conver
Esentially, if you knew about it in 91, you can't wait till now to go after royalties.
This might be one of those Vapor-Laws that money speaks louder than, however.
Everybody read those links, because these submarine patents are bullshit and the more noise the public makes about them, the less likely Acadia, Pan IP, and every other non-innovative lawyer on the planet are to think they can get aware with this bullshit.
Re:I say, "Great!" (Score:2, Interesting)
Talk about broad (Score:3, Interesting)
The distribution method as recited in claim 19, wherein the step of storing includes the step of storing the received information at the head end of a cable television reception system.
It seems to me this limits their patent to VOD systems for a cable company or in room service not distribution over a distributed network (or heck a network of any kind). I don't claim to be a patent expert but how can a patent this broad apply if all of the claims do not apply? I mean if individual claims can stand on their own then there are some broad quantum computer patents I need to file!
The contribution of business to the internet (Score:5, Interesting)
But principally what business has brought to the table is greed, squabbling and massively costly litigation, which far from encouraging innovation, increasingly inhibits it through fear and intimidation.
At the risk of overstating the case, I do think this is a further example of market forces alone being very far from the wholly benign influence they're so often touted as being.
Re:It's ironic... (Score:5, Interesting)
You don't ever mess with the porn industry. And the MPAA knows that.
I'm serious. The porn industry has proven itself to be vital in propogation of new technologies. Whether it's the internet, "rich content" or cable TV, the porn industry has always lead the industry at large. Killing the porn industry is equivalent to technological suicide.
Re:the legal term "go fuck yourself" applies (Score:3, Interesting)
Ask Rambust. The little IP company that could (sue) went after everyone who wanted to produce DDR, and ended up with the judge in the case that was initiated BY THEM ruling them guilty of fraud...
Prior art (Score:5, Interesting)
This is a message from 1989 talking about a talk by FCC chairman re: cable vs telco and what things might be possible.
For consumers, the promised land would be video on demand" - no need to rent tapes or wait for the network to schedule a particular program. One-way broadband delivery coupled with 2-way narrowband signalling thus might be the way such systems would start off.
Re:It's ironic... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:mm.. (Score:3, Interesting)
But, porn has completely pushed the Internet to what it is now. Just like getting VCR's and DVD players into the home.. DVD's were first seriously released for home viewing porn. Then places like Blockbuster started carrying movies on DVD..
People don't like talking about it, but it's the truth. And yes, you're absolutely right about PPV.. They were doing PPV movies for long before they started doing regular movies.. And still any cable provider's service includes adult movies.. They don't even have to advertise it, and people still spend lots of money on it..
I love this business. Meet hot women, work with the best technology.. I don't think working anywhere else I'd be ordering 1Gb/s fiber into cabinets all over the country. I wouldn't just say "Ok, 10 more servers for that site", and have them en-route in a couple days.. Voyeurweb.com is retiring some of our old servers, and putting new ones up this week. Yippie.
Re:It's ironic... (Score:3, Interesting)
I'd say a qualified "yes". Many of my favorite all-time sci-fi movies were done on shoestring budgets: Logan's Run, Farenheit 451, Soylent Green , the first Star Wars, The Blob, Godzilla, etc.
Sure, these are old classics, but for their time they were CHEAP.
Today, the big cinema chains won't carry it if it doesn't have a huge budget. The independents are gone except for in a few large cities. Now instead of sci-fi for the "bookworms", we get sci-fi for the "Happy Meal, Walmart Crowd" (Independence Day, Jurrasic Park, Men In Black, any post-SW EP4 Lucas movie
My old-fashioned thinking is, the Matrix or any other movie can be great on a shoestring budget if it makes you THINK.