xml-dev - RE: British Telecom owns Hyperlink?

[Bob Kline <bkline@rksystems.com>]

On Mon, 26 Jun 2000, Dan Mabbutt wrote:

> OK ... Thinking Dilbert, I can imagine one reason why BT did this
> that doesn't put them in a pathetic light.  (If my idea has any
> truth to it, all of us are in a pathetic light for allowing it to
> happen.)
> 
> My experience is that lawyers will sue for any cause that might
> yield fees for themselves. If a lawyer can convince a court to
> entertain a suit against management for not protecting an "asset" of
> the company (the hyperlink patent rights), fees can be generated.  
> What if BT management is simply protecting themselves from frivolous
> lawsuits by filing frivolous patent applications?

I think you must have missed the original posting.  According to the
news report, BT isn't just filing patent applications, they're trying to
(or pretending to try to -- according to the Dilbert theory) collect
royalties.  If they're not pretending, then I don't understand how their
actions could be construed as anything but pathetic.  You don't for a
moment suppose that they have any chance after all these years of
convincing a court to force everyone who uses hyperlinks to pay BT for
the privilege, do you?

-- 
Bob Kline 



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