Morning started off fine, busy; coded up the rest of the classifieds and wrote more code that emails people to tell them their ad is about to expire and they can click a link to renew the ad for 30 more days.
Checked my server logs and that damn signature did over 2 million views yesterday - thats about 12GB of data in a single 24 hour period. Man I gotta find some time to make money from that - selling the code nets about $1,000 a month, but thats some serious traffic!
Had some issues on a program I wrote - PhotoPost - which some users were complaining about.Don is about worthless (just kidding); but seems that we do 90% of the work (with don doing more than me) in addition to the development of two new products.
I decided I'd had enough and went to lunch to get a Roast Beef deli sub. First stop - Mail. A box from Texas which turns out to be a rattler off an original 4B kill. I've gotten hate mail before, but nothing like this little critter! I told the lady behind the counter I should reciprocate by pulling a leg off a grasshoppper and sending it back. (First and only good laugh of day).
Threw some mail in the trash, but thought better of it and pulled it out only to find a letter from some company claiming patents on all forms on transmission of audio/video files over the Internet. They demand royalities from any site the delivers video/audio content. In my case, $1500! Ruined my whole afternoon trying to figure this crap out. Where's SoCal when I need him?
Needless to say, what started out as being a day making alot of progress on my backlog only made it worse.
Best friend and wife had their twins today - boys. Hope to catch them tomorrow. Mother shows up tomorrow night for weekend visit. I need some time away from people in general - got a bunk house in the back 40, Paul?
Now I type waiting for sweet Ambien to numb my senses so that I can sleep interrupted by all this bullshit. Hopefully tomorrow will be a new day, better day.
damn Packet, i thought dropping my sandwich on the ground was bad. I picked it up and dusted it off immediately. Tasted fine. [img]/images/graemlins/supergrin.gif[/img]
1500 bucks in royalty?? What happens if you dont pay? i mean surely they will not pursue you in court over such a measly amount. It would cost more in court fees, lawyer, etc..etc..
Lots of info, they interview the owner of the company who considers adult site operators "low hanging fruit" (must have been talking about Alyssa's boobs).
It was bad enough when VISA hit us up for $750 application and then $350 a year just to process adult sites, now this.
Basically, they say that anyone who offers a video or audio file for download is violating their patents. Streaming companies, radio, paysites, news stations, etc. Even claim a patent for video-on-demand and went after the hotel industry.
Obviously this could have major implications on how much video content is available!
Aren't there groups associated with FreeSoftware Foundation to help in legalities, free. I can't think of the name, but it is a public interest group that does tjis all the time for people/groups.
""Threw some mail in the trash, but thought better of it and pulled it out only to find a letter from some company claiming patents on all forms on transmission of audio/video files over the Internet. They demand royalities from any site the delivers video/audio content. In my case, $1500! Ruined my whole afternoon trying to figure this crap out""
MP scan the letter for me, or get me a site of the co. Something sounds funny
Its all over the place, its legit. Weather their patents hold up in court is another thing. Alot of people dont have the resources to fight something like this - which is why its troubling that Vivid/Hustler rolled so quickly.
Check with Fisch and Richardson MP, they're a major patent lawfirm and are real famous. They may already have something cooking against Acacia that you can get in on. I thought that patent went out the window awhile ago.
I would think it would take about 10 minutes to show prior art in court and get this dumbass patent thrown out. Personally, I'd spend the $1500 to have the guys knees broken.
The patent laws in this company are rediculous. The EU is getting it right though, and basically saying that American patents won't apply.
