Apple joins Facebook, Google, others to combat Paul Allen's charges

Aside from Paul Allen being a greedy bastard, the root cause of this issue is that people should not be allowed to patent vague software concepts. Copyright a software title yes, but not patent. Based upon the logic of most of these stupid software patent lawsuits, I can dream up any idea, patent it, and never produce a damned thing based on that idea. Later, Apple may have a similar idea, and make billions of dollars. Whose fault is it that I didn't make money? It's mine! A patent only proves that you thought of an idea. It does not give you the right to be a patent troll. Paul Allen has enough money. He doesn't need to sue Apple.

This happens all the time. Lawyers trolling for dollars - lot's and lot's of dollars. Corporations contract with law firms specializing in patent infringement. Law firms receive a percentage of any award won.

Good for him! If I had a patent for something like this, you bet your ass I'd be suing the pants off of everyone infringing on it!

Well, we don't what factual basis, if any, there is to his claims; however, he is free to raise a claim if he owns intellectual property that there is evidence to support has been infringed. So far, his claims do not appear specific enough to determine whether there is any truth to them.

Absolutely waste of taxpayers money.

I gotta ask...what's a "bald assertion"?

What a sore loser.

Maybe it's just me, but I think if your company has been out of business for a decade you shouldn't be allowed to say "They stole our patents and didn't pay us licensing fees!".