https://twitter.com/todd_x_y/status/1747310482279600225
How can they patent something where the prior art was created by other people years ago?
(I guess they gotta a lotta money and lawyers…)
Comment from the Fediverse:
Question: What do you call it when a big corporation files a patent on techniques that you and other people have been working on, and publishing on, for years’?
Answer: stealing the commons from the goose?
“The law locks up the man or woman
Who steals the goose off the common
But leaves the greater villain loose
Who steals the common from the goose.”
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I don’t think you are clear on what is going on here. I don’t believe they are poaching. They are patenting their own process that combines existing technology. Every element of their patent does not have to be unique. They can’t block others from using Holochain [the idea behind a patent] they can stop or license other from using Holochain in their unique way in their specific scenario.
I hope you are right. But we have a lot of work-in-process building on Holochain and I suspect their patent will cover some of them and may trigger their “infringement” lawyers. That’s my worry here, not that they are patenting their work that is built on Holochain, but that they could try to block projects that they might think could compete. Otherwise why file for a patent?
Same reason Holochain did, to protect their specific idea.
I understand your concern. Maybe I’m naive. I didn’t have it until you made it more clear to me. Lets hope that they don’t become patent trolls about it.