Re: Gates Patents Flipping a Light Switch

[Chuck Szmanda]

There are no criminal penalties for patent infringement in the US.  It is up
to the patent holder to enforce his/her patent in civil - not criminal
proceedings.  However, a judge can still throw you in jail for violating an
injunction.

Chuck Szmanda


"phil hunt" <zen19725@zen.co.uk> wrote in message
slrncadkgl.uc.zen19725@cabalamat.cabalamat.org">news:slrncadkgl.uc.zen19725@cabalamat.cabalamat.org...
> On 15 May 2004 20:17:52 GMT, Lee Hollaar <hollaar@faith.cs.utah.edu>
wrote:
> >In article <slrncacuj8.nde.zen19725@cabalamat.cabalamat.org>
zen19725@zen.co.uk (phil hunt) writes:
> >>On Sat, 15 May 2004 15:13:11 -0400, Barry Margolin <barmar@alum.mit.edu>
wrote:
> >>>In article <slrncac935.m82.zen19725@cabalamat.cabalamat.org>,
> >>> zen19725@zen.co.uk (phil hunt) wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> On Fri, 14 May 2004 16:45:21 -0400, Barry Margolin
<barmar@alum.mit.edu>
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>> >
> >>>> >No, I didn't overlook it.  My point is that without patents, even
these
> >>>> >rare wins would be virtually impossible.  Patents are one of the few
> >>>> >weapons a small player can wield against a behemoth like Microsoft.
> >>>>
> >>>> On the contrary, patents help microsoft in their fight against pesky
> >>>> competition, especially that of the open source variety. MS *loves*
> >>>> patents, because it gives them the chance to make it a crime for
> >>>> anyone to compete with them.
> >>>
> >>>Of course it helps Microsoft.  It helps *everyone* -- big guys and
> >>>little guys.
> >>
> >>So, IYO, criminalising open source software helps people who use
> >>open source software.
> >
> >At least in the United States, there are no criminal provisions that
> >stem from patent infringement.
>
> If you infringe a patent, and a court tells you to stop doing it,
> and you keep on doing it, I expect sooner or later the authorities
> will arrest and imprison you.
>
> -- 
> "It's easier to find people online who openly support the KKK than
> people who openly support the RIAA" -- comment on Wikipedia
> (Email: zen19725 at zen dot co dot uk)
>
>