[olePigeon]

http://www.wired.com/news/technology...,68894,00.html

Three guys invented a new coupling that could be used for all sorts of applications. Lucent then made a deal with these guys to buy the product (visions of MILLIONS of bucks danced in their head) to be used in a new fiber optic trans-Atlantic/Pacific communications network for the U.S. government.

Apparently there's a common law that says that if a patent is used in a secret government project that, if exposed, would threat national security, then the government gets to control the rights of the patent.

So Lucent got a huge ass fat paycheck by selling someone else's invention to the U.S. government, but dont' have to pay the inventers a single penny for using the patent since it now falls under "state secrets privilege" common law.

Now the federal court just upheald the "state secrets privilege" law. Lucent finally agreed to pay them a whopping $100,000. Meanwhile, Lucent gets millions of dollars in sweet government contracts.

[Blue Flame]

this isn't anything new -- Bill Gates bought DOS for $60,000 - any guess as to how much he made off of that?

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by Blue Flame

this isn't anything new -- Bill Gates bought DOS for $60,000 - any guess as to how much he made off of that?

Not the same thing.

[turtle777]

Land of the free my a$$ !

-t

[Tyre MacAdmin]

If that's not better business bureau material I don't know what is... we should all report that. That's not fair at all... since it's their technology the money should go to them.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Tyler McAdams

we should all report that.

Report to who ?

It's the government, doing it systematically. It's your U.S. GOD. Can't argue with it.

-t

[Tyre MacAdmin]

Let's not come to the conclusion that I'm somehow on the mindset level of my government. It's still a good idea to report such activity to the better business bureau if it was done purposely in that Lucent can make straight profit off a technology that's not theirs. There are some things about patents I like and other things I don't. I wish vmarks would get in to this convo... his father is a patent holder for several technologies for IBM and now works for IBM to see if other companies are infringing on our (IBM) patents with their technologies.

This situation is just one example of how capitalist execs "camp out" and fish for ways to keep profits coming in to their companies. My personal opinion on patents is rather complicated and hard to grasp for some. For example, in technology, since many technologies can bring about the same solution I think it is wise for a patent to only protect the *way* the technology provides the solution and not stop other technologies that could be electircal, biochemical or whatever... yet provide the same solution. Patents also provide a motivation for experimentation in a capitalist economy since there is a profit incentive... this is sometimes the only way to get people motivated to create a solution... sad but true. (another problem) Now, since in a lot of situations there is only one *optimal* way of providing a solution it does not make since to patent it since that's the only way to do it correctly... in other words the math works out the solution and the answer to 2+2=4 and that's that. In which case that's a monopoly. And we all know that's not a fair way to provide a solution or service.

[Eriamjh]

Well, they could make the technology public or sell it to <Fill in the blank with evil country> and then Lucent will likely lose the contracts they got.

They might get arrested, but only if they were caught.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by Eriamjh

Well, they could make the technology public or sell it to <Fill in the blank with evil country> and then Lucent will likely lose the contracts they got.

They might get arrested, but only if they were caught.

That would be treason.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by turtle777

Report to who ?

It's the government

Wrong. The government did not tell Lucent not to pay the inventors. The government just said Lucent had found a valid loophole, not that Lucent should not ethically pay them an appropriate fee for the patent. And business ethics are where the Better Business Bureau comes in.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by Chuckit

Wrong. The government did not tell Lucent not to pay the inventors. The government just said Lucent had found a valid loophole, not that Lucent should not ethically pay them an appropriate fee for the patent. And business ethics are where the Better Business Bureau comes in.

Just so it's clear, the Better Business Bureau is not a government agency. They're a non-profit organization for cataloging businesses and their work ethics. True, they can attempt to keep businesses in line by having a list, but that's also assuming that a business is even registered with the BBB. It' completely voluntary. If some company decides to do crap like what Lucent did, the BBB can't do anything about it except maybe post a warninga bout Lucent; which will do next to nothing.

[Chuckit]

The BBB can't take punitive action, but no company wants to have a reputation for being dishonest and scamming its partners. The BBB is there to make sure that people know who they're doing business with.

[turtle777]

The BBB can't do sh!t in this case. Stop dreaming.

-t

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by turtle777

The BBB can't do sh!t in this case. Stop dreaming.

What are you talking about? The BBB is incapable of recording Lucent's dishonesty? Is there a magic spell on this case that prevents it?

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Chuckit

What are you talking about? The BBB is incapable of recording Lucent's dishonesty? Is there a magic spell on this case that prevents it?

Ok, so Lucent gets reported to BBB. So what ? Who's gonna care ?
The BBB is mainly to protect end-customers from shady business practices. How many direct end-customers does Lucent have ? And the big customers won't give a rip, they are playing the same game.

-t