Patent Troll Claims Minecraft Infringement

First time accepted submitter ubrgeek writes "Popular game Minecraft has hit the big time: It's being sued for infringement by patent troll Uniloc who claims the game infringes a patent it holds on copy protection software. Developer Markus 'Notch' Persson sounds like he's up for the challenge: 'Unfortunately for them, they're suing us over a software patent. If needed, I will throw piles of money at making sure they don't get a cent.'"

Let's see them ...

[Spacejock]

... dig their way out of this one.

Sorry, but it had to be said.

Watch out Blizzard you're next

[GoodNewsJimDotCom]

...applications for use on cellular phones and/or tablet devices that require communication with a server to perform a license check to prevent the unauthorized use of said application...

Sometimes Battle.net 2.0 is all about logging on to a server to play a singleplayer or LAN game.

Software patents are so dumb. Just because some idiot patents something obvious doesn't mean the rest of us should not be able to do the obvious thing. What if someone patented walking in a straight line? The rest of society would be relegated to drinking heavily, or inventing silly walks.

Re:Damn

[Ouchie]

I bought two more copies of Minecraft just to fund their defense.

Give congress a first hand look at the problem.

[D'Sphitz]

Someone should patent something ridiculous like "A method for indicating support of a proposal by using an input device to record a 'yea' or 'nay' vote." and then file suit against individual members of congress (in Tyler, TX of course). Maybe that would get their attention.

Re:Not just Minecraft

[Ronin441]

But in the case where they're suing many different people, it might not be cheaper for any one party to pay for the hit.

What we need is a way to crowdfund assassination of patent trolls.

Hitstarter.

Re:Let's see them ...

[Grayhand]

... dig their way out of this one. Sorry, but it had to be said.

With any luck the judge will award them with virtual coal. Lots of that in Minecraft.

Re:I hope..

[Megane]

And if that doesn't work, he can build a house and stay in it until sunrise.

Re:Not just Minecraft

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe he's not going to make it his occupation. Maybe it will be just... a one off job.

Speaking of Lawyers

[arthurpaliden]

Family gathering the other day and my mother in law reports with pride that my son's cousin is going into law. She then asks my son if he has ever considered going into law . Without even missing a beat he replies:

"No, my parents raised me better that that."

Re:More specifically

[ultranova]

Amazing how common sense and game theory comes to the same conclusions given the same input.

It's indeed eerie. You'd almost think they were trying to model the same world.

Re:I hope..

[Anonymous Coward]

I have guns, too. So long as they don't point theirs at me, I don't point mine at them.

Right on! Captain Internet Hardass!