How Twitter?

[ChuckF]

Originally Posted by fragment

The bullshit tech patents issued suggest that examiners were incapable of even vaguely accurate assessment of "prima facie obviousness or truly on-point prior art" in tech during at least the late 90s and early 00s.

Then it should be easy to overcome the presumption of validity, and invalidate the patents.

Is it supposed to be a good thing that companies can suppress competition by gaining patents that don't stand up to scrutiny?

Depends on where you sit, I guess. If claims don't stand up to scrutiny, they are not valid. Other market participants can challenge claims they believe to be invalid. Happens every day.

I can see the incentive to abuse the patent process to protect against abuse of the patent process, but wouldn't it be better to fix the system?

Eh, maybe, maybe not. For me, personally, effective patent strategies directly contribute to my financial security, so I'll leave reform to others.

[beyelzu]

Originally Posted by erimir

I'm not at all surprised that Musk's name is on some patents, I would've predicted that it would be. But not all of those have been granted. None of those have Musk as the sole patent holder.

And not all of them appear to be inventions there's any reason to believe were unique or useful. Some of the descriptions sound like they would either be 1. things that shouldn't be patentable (improperly granted patents seem pretty common) or 2. things that describe something pretty commonplace now (e.g. web mapping like Google Maps, or VOIP) but for which I've never heard Musk's name come up as an innovator in the space. A mishmash of patents mostly not related to the businesses he's known for suggests, you know, that these inventions were failures.

So anyway, that's quite another matter from him actually being the inventor. I'm well aware from academia that just because someone's name is on a paper doesn't mean they contributed much of note to the research. This isn't evidence that he actually develops things such as auto-pilot or battery technology, etc.

The only recent one has so many names on it, I'd be surprised if he contributed more than "I want the car to be able to come to me" (and wouldn't be surprised if he contributed less than that). The people who actually did all the programming, machine learning, engineering and inventing to make it work are represented among the 17 other people on the patent.

I've routinely seen people describe him as an inventor in regards to things that are not represented in any of the patents listed there. There's nothing about batteries or automotive engineering, yet the way he's talked about with Tesla, you'd think he designed the battery himself.

If just holding some number of patents is proof of being a genius inventor, then Jack Dorsey is many times the inventor that Musk is, since he holds 7 pages of patents on there, and I can even tell that they're mostly related to one of the areas he's known for (Square, aka Block Inc.).

You'll have to try harder.

How NXIVM Used the Strange Power of Patents to Build Its “Sex Cult� | Vanity Fair

Keith Raniere of NXIVM cult infamy used his claimed* 147 patents to try to claim genius.

A self-proclaimed genius, Raniere tried to convey an air of intelligence and infallibility, and for many, it worked. In interviews, former devotees recalled being persuaded by his clear vision of the world and apparent intellect and were told he spent much of his days inventing. His patents, which range from a simple “find my iPhone”-type device to a sleep-guidance system, played a subtle, but vital role in NXIVM. For an aspiring movement leader aiming to build credibility, they were fundamental building blocks.

And

“Rational Inquiry,” the behavioral therapy at the center of NXIVM’s public-facing work, is almost always described as a “patent-pending technology” in company literature. Raniere’s bio says he has “147 international patents, including 47 in the United States, in a variety of technical fields.” The claim is debatable. V.F. found about 40 U.S. applications, a little over half of which were granted (applications aren’t made public until after 18 months, so it’s possible he had more to come). Yet this stat comes first in his list of credentials, before his degrees or his books. Not all of them are Luciferian rehabilitation instructionals. In fact, most seem benign, if baffling, like the “Sleep guidance system and related methods” or “Apparatus and method for preventing a vehicle from running out of fuel.” Taken together, the patents are meant to convey that we have a great intellect—and a benevolent one—on our hands.

I’m beginning to think that the patent system could potentially be gamed.

One former member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that patents were “always a conversational piece” among members. They “were touted all the time as, not just what is he working on, but why is he great and why is he so amazing. He’s so humanitarian that he’s building all of these things to help the world.” She gave the example of a type of splint or cast which he developed after hearing a member’s parent had broken a leg, the “Combination wound and injury treatment apparatus.”

“You hear that and you’re like, ‘Oh my god, not only is he one of the smartest people in the world, he’s using that for good, and in such a diverse field,’” she said. “To hear that he’s helped someone’s parent he knows because he wanted to out of the goodness of his heart? . . . It made me think of him even more altruistically and made me think of him as just someone who devotes his thoughts and energy towards individuals, whether they ask or not. He just knows that they need help, so he does.”

Damn, Elon fanboys seem to have a lot in common with cult members. Shocked pickachu face.

*apparently there are just 40, Keith probably counted updates or revisions or some other disingenuous shit

[-FX-]

The only thing more ridiculous than Elon Fanboys is the irrational hatred

OK that statement can be reversed and is also valid

[-FX-]

The only thing more ridiculous than the Elon haters are the irrational Fanboys

[beyelzu]

Originally Posted by fragment

Is it supposed to be a good thing that companies can suppress competition by gaining patents that don't stand up to scrutiny?

I think it’s important to remember that the entire point of patents and copyright is to suppress competition from non patent/copyright holders, ostensibly so creators can profit enough to keep creating.

I don’t think it makes gaming the system or patent trolling okay, but just that we shouldn’t be surprised when the system setup to suppress competition takes it too far.

Also whether someone is trolling or just defending their creation is a debate of facts for each case.

Edited to add: I think I largely said what Chuck said only I did it less well.

[beyelzu]

Originally Posted by -FX-

The only thing more ridiculous than Elon Fanboys is the irrational hatred

OK that statement can be reversed and is also valid

Indeed, like many of your statements it makes exactly as much sense forwards or backwards.

[ChuckF]

Tip button (patent pending)

[-FX-]

The tips are awesome because you don't have to maintain 10,000 active followers or more to get money (subscritpion option)

Also, fuck Twitter

[fragment]

Originally Posted by beyelzu

I think it’s important to remember that the entire point of patents and copyright is to suppress competition from non patent/copyright holders, ostensibly so creators can profit enough to keep creating.

Surely the (alleged) point is to maximise public benefit by balancing the ability to profit off innovation vs. the efficiencies of a competitive market. Seems reasonable to question how close the US patent system is to an optimal balance point. Chuck's personal financial interest notwithstanding.

[ChuckF]

European Patent Office seems to have issued a number of patents like ""upload a fax then send email to intended recipient."

E-mail converting apparatus, internet facsimile apparatus, and e-mail transmission method
Internet facsimile apparatus
E-mail facsimile machine

Among others. There is also an intriguting Israeli one for the reverse: a method and apparatus for telephonic fax service to send e-mail.

Based on these patents from 2 decades ago, how close is the European patent system to an optimal balance point?

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

End capitalism and this problem goes away.

[-FX-]

Originally Posted by Kamilah Hauptmann

End capitalism and this problem goes away.

The Chinese did that many years ago

(they do not honor or obey copyrights or patents)

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Time is precious, bad faith actors deserve very little of it.

[-FX-]

If time was precious, you wouldn't be wasting it.

[-FX-]

Originally Posted by viscousmemories

I don't understand how Twitter works.

I don't either, but with Musk being transparent about the changes, I'm starting to figure it out. The software definitely treats different accounts differently.

[lisarea]

There is no convincing argument for software patents.

[fragment]

Originally Posted by ChuckF

Based on these patents from 2 decades ago, how close is the European patent system to an optimal balance point?

No idea. You snark as if I said this is a uniquely US problem. As it happens I was merely restricting the scope to a jurisdiction that covers the current patents under discussion without extending to jurisdictions I have read even less about. As a lawyer, I'm sure you are familiar with the approach of avoiding universal claims when it is unnecessary to make them. It is certainly possible, even likely, that other patent regimes exhibit similar features.

[ChuckF]

It seemed reasonable to question.

[ChuckF]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-64294613

Hedayatullah Hedayat, the head of the Taliban's department for "access to information", now has the tick.

His account has 187,000 followers and he regularly posts information related to the Taliban administration. He had his paid-for blue tick removed last month, according to local media, but it has now returned.

Abdul Haq Hammad, head of the media watchdog at the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture, also has a blue tick on his account that has 170,000 followers.

Prominent Taliban supporters have acquired the blue tick too.

Muhammad Jalal, who previously identified as a Taliban official, praised the new owner of Twitter on Monday, declaring that Elon Musk was "making Twitter great again".

Eight bucks is eight bucks, after all

[Ari]

Anyone can have a blue check, but do they have a blue bird!
Musk’s garage sale is happening today, neon twitter bird is already at $6,200.
Only seven more zeros to go and Musk is out of debt!

Neon Twitter Bird Light Electrical Display

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Marcus Aurelius, reading your tweets: "this is fine. very normal tweets. doesn't bother me."

— Existential Comics (@existentialcoms) January 13, 2023

[beyelzu]

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Banks want their 300M this week.

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Musk's continual "working on it" replies show that he's been caught in his own algorithms.

Probably the only tweets he ever sees are alt lite grifters, Tesla shills, and crypto scams. https://t.co/1ICe2eRh3S

— Matthew Sheffield (@mattsheffield) January 25, 2023

[Ari]

I’m done dealing with customer service let me talk to your CEO!

*Musk ducks below counter, then reappears in a different hat*

“Why yes, I’m the CEO, how may I help you?”