[Asterisk-Dev] VoIP SPAM, what's next ?

[matt.riddell at sineapps.com]

On 10 Aug 2004 at 13:54, Bill Moran wrote:

> > Gang,
> > 
> > Do anyone have a clue on how they do this ??
> > 
> > "QOVIA FILES PATENTS FOR VOICE SPAM BLOCKING TECHNOLOGY"
> > http://www.qovia.com/company/news/06.28.2004_voip_spam_patent_app_fi
> > nal.htm
> 
> Ohh !!
> 
> If they actually think they're going to get a patent, I have prior
> art!
> 
> I've been talking about spam filtering over VoIP for months!  I could
> easily produce half a dozen witnesses who have discussed this with me
> this year.
> 
> Is it worth raising a stink to get the patent blocked?

It's always worth raising a stink to get a patent blocked.  There 
shouldn't be software patents.

It removes competition.

<RANT>
Say for example that (disconnected from the world) down here in New 
Zealand I came up with a slightly better way of doing VOIP spam 
protection, yet it does some things the same way as the patent.  
Having the patent enforced would mean that I could not deliver my 
solution (regardless of whether it is better or worse) without a 
breach of patent laws.  So if you are sure that the QOVIA blocker is 
the one and only spam blocker of that type and that it will fulfil 
all your needs in the area, sure let them go with it.  If on the 
other hand you want the software environment we work in to become 
more professional, more streamlined and more stable, allow choice in 
software by doing absolutely everything within your powers to block 
this and all other software patents.
</RANT>

Kind regards,

Matt Riddell

P.S. I have ++ patented and so any occurrences of it in your software 
will cost $0.03 per occurrence, per released copy of software (btw, 
doesn't matter if it's GPL, you still have to pay me)