Singapore Firm Claims Patent Breach By Virtually All Websites

An anonymous reader writes "A Singapore firm, VueStar has threatened to sue websites that use pictures or graphics to link to another page, claiming it owns the patent for a technology used by millions around the world. The company is also planning to take on giants like Microsoft and Google. It is a battle that could, at least in theory, upend the Internet. The firm has been sending out invoices to Singapore companies since last week asking them to pay up."

Sweet

[pembo13]

I wonder if US companies will honor this patent.

what the fuck

[FireXtol]

Wow.... This remind me of that comic with the ambiguous superhero... 'I think my common sense is tingling!'. Then below it... Common sense... so rare it's a fucking super power.

Seriously, patents are fucking stupid. So is IP(intellectual property). Get rid of these, and world peace would happen over night.

Re:Patented A href?

[somersault]

I have patented the carriage return linefeed combination. Anyone implementing br tags owes me 0.000000005 dollars per violation.

Good luck with that!

[MaxInBxl]

Where's the "goodluckwiththat" tag when you need it?

SCO to the rescue!

[westbake]

SCO has a patent of judicial extortion that should sink this little problem. Microsoft will unleash them in five minutes.

How to make money on the Internet

[deniable]

1. Porn
2. Have an idea and get bought out before you lose too much cash.
3. Porn
4. Make a nuisance of yourself and get bought out before you lose too much cash.

That may be it. Then again, if they piss people off SCO style, they could be in for a rough time.

Alright...

[Oxy the moron]

... I've waited long enough. Now, after years of silence, it's time to reveal that I own the patent:

"Use something to do something"

I think a trivial $.01/use is an acceptable royalty. Start paying up. :)

outsourcing

[nack107]

I'm glad to see that we've even managed to outsource patent trolls.

Shirts!

[IronMagnus]

Quick... someone start making shirts that say:

<a href="link"><img src="picture"></a>

... its about time those DeCSS shirts got replaced.

My patent

[HappySmileMan]

Hey guys, I've just submitted a patent request for "Any device which uses electricity to perform calculations, render images or display useless news"... Get ready to pay you thieving bastards

Not news

[Duncan Blackthorne]

Old and busted: Company XYZ sues for patent infringement of commonly used technolgy.
New hotness: It's an Asian company this time, not some asshats here in California.
Slashdot: They're competing for Al Gore's crown as "inventor of der interwebs".

*facepalm*

Re:Patented A href?

[Waffle Iron]

I have patented the carriage return linefeed combination.

That's obviously invalid. One important requirement for patentability is that an invention must be useful.

Re:Good luck with that!

[Dan081943]

Where's the "goodluckwiththat" tag when you need it?

I belileve this will be the first time some company attempts to sue the WORLD. How much better could it be than that?

Re:How to make money on the Internet

[trickonion]

its LOOSE
before you LOOSE too much cash
Jeez, look at this asshole! :P

Re:Sweet

[Anonymous Coward]

The absolute shamelessness of these people is what amazes me. They don't care how badly they are hated.

Don't they have friends and family they have to face? Or do they only associate with other criminals like themselves?

Re:Sweet

[spun]

You know what else would be sweet? If a judge decided that supermodels refusing to have sex with me was technically valid, but too onerous. Following that logic, it would be an open door for judicial review of the whole "super models not having sex with nerds" system. That would be super sweet for all of us.

Re:Shirts!

[Yvanhoe]

If I sold a t-shirt for every stupid patent being claimed...
Now wait a minute ! I have a business model to patent !

Re:Mail fraud

[CastrTroy]

All I know is that in Singapore, caning is an accepted form of punishment. Let's hope in this case they employ that punishment.

I think their lawyer used to work in video games

[bobdotorg]

This quote from the cease and desist tipped me off:

All your sites are belong to us.

Re:Sweet

[jeiler]

Ah, but there's a difference: the patent system in US law is unbalanced and counterproductive. The stereotypical inability that geeks have of "getting the girl" is not unbalanced.

Though technically, the stereotype is unreproductive. (Is that even a word?)

Re:Sweet

[Penguinisto]

The absolute shamelessness of these people is what amazes me. They don't care how badly they are hated.

If they (by some astronomical anti-miracle) win, they'd be wealthy enough to be left alone and/or purchase whatever friends they desire to keep around (see also William Gates).

/P

Re:Sure it is!

[Jesus_666]

Actually, the Israelites had a patent on a method of living in that particular region. When they were swept off the map, however, the Paletinians went and patented the same thing. Now the Israelites have redefined themselves as a new brand (the Israelis) and demand that thir patend be counted as prior art (and, if possible, reinstated). The Palestinians decline, the Israelis don't care and what follows is one of the uglier copyright wars of the recent past.

So, here's the plan everyone...

[Spy der Mann]

we claim a patent on web browsers and hold the world hostage for... ONE MILLIONS DOLLARS!

Re:Sweet

[jeiler]

If you equate the likelihood of a supermodel having sex with you to the likelihood of a judge doing the right thing in this case, your optimism of the US legal system is higher than mine! :D

Re:Sweet

[Chyeld]

I'm sorry, I just don't understand where the car comes into the picture.

Re:Patented A href?

[stonefry]

I have patented separating words by white space to enhance readability.

Ohcomeon.That'snotveryuseful.

Craigslist Has Immunity

[AjStone]

It this becomes big, I bet everyone at Craigslist will be cracking a smile to themselves.

Re:SCO to the rescue!

[hedwards]

Does that mean the RIAA and MPAA are guilty of infringing SCO's IP?

Re:Patented A href?

[Ortega-Starfire]

I set my monitor on its side! Ha HA! I foil you yet again!!!

Re:Sweet

[jeiler]

I claim prior art. :P

Re:Yes, but...

[spun]

We stole countries with the cunning use of flags. Just sail around the world and stick a flag in. "I claim India for Britain!" And they're going, "You can't claim us, we live here! There's five hundred million of us!" - "Do you have a flag?" - "We don't need a bloody flag, this is our country, you bastard!" - "No flag, no country! You can't have one! That's the rules, that... I've just made up."

Gotta love Eddie Izzard.

Re:what the fuck

[sunwukong]

Make sure to click "I Accept" on the license for that explanation.

Re:Alright...

[Bobb Sledd]

I'll happily pay twice and give my $.02: Fuck off!

(Only meant in harmless, friendly fun.)

Re:Wtf?

[OMNIpotusCOM]

<quote>The firm has been sending out invoices to Singapore companies since last week asking them to pay up."</quote>

Most companies aren't taking the invoices seriously because they ask for your checking account number before they can give you the money owed to you by the death of your long lost, rich relative.

Oh yeah... and because they were delivered by an 8 year-old male prostitute named Chen. When it absolutely, positively, has to be delivered there by a male prostitute: Singapore Express. It's everywhere you don't want your wife to be.

Re:Sweet

[Anonymous Coward]

"usually by working out , losing weight, and getting in shape."

That doesn't make any sense.

1) 'working out': As in 'dining out'? Are there any specific requirements for such non-default work location? How to prevent job-loss when engaging in this results in not being present at default work location (any forms available to submit to boss/hr?)? Does it pay well at those locations? What are the benefits? If the default work location specs are within tolerance, is it still required to seek alternate location? If so, elaborate.

2) 'losing weight': Does it count if the weight is not lost, rather discarded. Weight of what item ought to be 'lost'? How much distance, or elapsed time is required for said 'weight' to be considered 'lost'?

3) 'getting in shape': What shape (round/square/etc)? How to instantiate said shape to be able to get into it. Finally: Where, and how to enter said instantiated shape?

Finally: When the above modifications are unsuccessful, how to discover which modification was incorrect (false, overcorrected/undercorrected)?

Re:Sweet

[TheSpoom]

Judges have probably already decided that having sex with cars is technically valid, but too onerous. I mean really, that tailpipe is sharp!

Re:Recycled SCO Invoices

[Douglas Goodall]

I have it on good authority that the invoices are printed on recycled SCO Linux Invoices. It saves paper and has the same basic value. In fact it is probably Daryl that owns the company. This smells like him.