6 ms·

I don't know who renowned iOS developer Mike Lee is, but I think this is fantastic. The only way small timers can effect this legal change is to band together

by scotto 15y ago

I don't know who renowned iOS developer Mike Lee is, but I think this is fantastic. The only way small timers can effect this legal change is to band together like a union. And we've seen how powerful a union can be. Trolls are going down, man.

theb83 15y ago
> I don't know who renowned iOS developer Mike Lee is Apparently, he's a man who develops software for a proprietary, patent-encumbered platform owned by a company who uses patents offensively. Presumably it's acceptable to use iPatents predatorily because they're broadly linked to a gadget he likes. Or maybe this is just how you think different.
flyosity 15y ago
He's a well-known figure in the indie Mac & iPhone communities and is a co-founder of Tapulous and also worked on Delicious Library for Mac. If anyone in this community could do a good job in this fight, it's Mike.
- Roritharr 15y ago
  I recently met him at the Startup Weekend Amsterdam and was amazed to find out what a nice guy he is. He is really straight forward, develops ideas on the fly while being totally honest with you. I'm really glad i could meet him, he is really an inspiring person.
kragen 15y ago
You may not have heard of this, but a union of companies is called a "trust", and there's an entire division of the Department of Justice devoted to preventing them from forming, and destroying them when they do arise: http://www.justice.gov/atr/ http://www.justice.gov/atr/
- jackpine 15y ago
  weak sauce. who let this guy on yc?
- DenisM 15y ago
  Which is precisely why MPAA, RIAA, BSA, and other industry associations simply do not exist, right? :)
  - kragen 15y ago
    Congress has actually enacted specific legislation to exempt the MPAA and RIAA from some aspects of antitrust law. I don't know about the BSA. To be more specific, though, there are some ways that companies can legally cooperate under current antitrust law — for example, standardizing screw threads and grades of steel. But boycotting the "products" of certain "vendors" is probably not among them.

by scotto 15y ago

theb83 15y ago

> I don't know who renowned iOS developer Mike Lee is Apparently, he's a man who develops software for a proprietary, patent-encumbered platform owned by a company who uses patents offensively. Presumably it's acceptable to use iPatents predatorily because they're broadly linked to a gadget he likes. Or maybe this is just how you think different.

flyosity 15y ago

He's a well-known figure in the indie Mac & iPhone communities and is a co-founder of Tapulous and also worked on Delicious Library for Mac. If anyone in this community could do a good job in this fight, it's Mike.

Roritharr 15y ago
I recently met him at the Startup Weekend Amsterdam and was amazed to find out what a nice guy he is. He is really straight forward, develops ideas on the fly while being totally honest with you. I'm really glad i could meet him, he is really an inspiring person.

kragen 15y ago

You may not have heard of this, but a union of companies is called a "trust", and there's an entire division of the Department of Justice devoted to preventing them from forming, and destroying them when they do arise: http://www.justice.gov/atr/ http://www.justice.gov/atr/

jackpine 15y ago
weak sauce. who let this guy on yc?
DenisM 15y ago
Which is precisely why MPAA, RIAA, BSA, and other industry associations simply do not exist, right? :)
- kragen 15y ago
  Congress has actually enacted specific legislation to exempt the MPAA and RIAA from some aspects of antitrust law. I don't know about the BSA. To be more specific, though, there are some ways that companies can legally cooperate under current antitrust law — for example, standardizing screw threads and grades of steel. But boycotting the "products" of certain "vendors" is probably not among them.