Technology companies have really set up a trend of patent wars with each other battling in lawsuits after lawsuits that go up in high sums both in prosecution and defense cases as well as for the sum they settle for or are fined for. But recent target of such accusation of patent infringement has been Facebook filed by Yahoo. The search engine thought of taking out Facebook big time and sued it against 10 patents. It is like Yahoo has created a dangerous wave for itself with downsizing and taking on Facebook.
The technology industry has been sounding off against Yahoo on this case, but strangely they are not favouring Facebook either according to ZDNet. Taking sides might prove risky for them in future, if they want to sue Facebook perhaps. Initially in February it was only a warning that Yahoo gave to Facebook, but the social networking giant paid no attention. Then on Monday, it got sued over 10 patents. Usually being sued for one patent is trouble enough, Facebook straightly got up an accusation of messing with 10 of Yahoo’s patent.
Yahoo showed a kind gesture toward Facebook earlier due to the ever high popularity of the social network that it created a direct tab of Facebook on its site. Not that Facebook was depended on that kind gesture, it was Yahoo’s own way of keeping the traffic up on its site. But it seems like the industry experts have forgotten this connecting of the two internet companies and criticized Yahoo in severe terms. Most of it being personal opinions of the tech gurus, but what they say revolves around in the media and it becomes the official news and viewpoint on a subject.
Ex-Yahoo employee Andy Baio wrote an article post by Wired titled “A Patent Lie: How Yahoo Weaponized My Work” and said the following:
“Yahoo’s lawsuit against Facebook is an insult to the talented engineers who filed patents with the understanding they wouldn’t be used for evil. Betraying that trust won’t be forgotten, but I doubt it matters anymore. Nobody I know wants to work for a company like that.”
Some like investor Mark Cuban are favouring Yahoo for reasons of their own. He said in his post titled “I Hope Yahoo Crushes Facebook in its Patent Suit”:
“Rather than originating in Congress, its going to take a consumer uprising to cause change. What better way to create a consumer uprising than to financially cripple and possibly put out of business the largest social network on the planet ?
If Yahoo were to be awarded 50 Billion Dollars from Facebook, I think consumers may take notice. And don’t think that 50B should be an impossibility.”
The industry insiders want Facebook to buy Yahoo, and some wants Microsoft to do the favour to Facebook and come to its “rescue”. Some others still think that the battle is on from both the side.
[ttjad]
