Patent troll Worlds.com threatens to sue Second Life

If this is really found to have any merit, hopefully it will be a test case for a precedent to prevent such blatant "patent submarining". It is already blocked for copyright, so I don't see why it's never been considered before.

I actually looked at an on-line copy of their patent...

What a kibbled mess. If it is a threat to anything at all, maybe it is to 3D chatrooms like IMVU or Webkins. There is no "world" in their concept - just isolated single rooms that can contain one or more avatars. It is also debatable if they got their patent filed before, or after, some other early claimants to similar stuff.

Claiming their patent is something that SL infringes on is like trying to claim a patent for a single tarot deck gives you the right to claim "infringement" from any and all subesquent card games. It just won't stand up against a legal challenge.

Has anyone heard any word from the Lindens on this? Obviously, they cannot comment on the specifics of the potential lawsuit, but I would think we would hear something about its validity.

Nauseating really, that talentless hacks seek to cheat millions of dollars from the hard work and effort of dedicated people. My only real fear in this matter at all is the possibility of a jury trial in Texas. All we need are xenophobic reactionaries passing judgement on Second Life for the benefit of their "good ol' boys" from the republic of Texas.

A factual ruling is only binding upon the parties involved in the litigation.

A win by Worlds.com over NSoft doesn't necessarily help it win litigation against others.

If NSoft puts up a good fight but Worlds.com wins, it gives Worlds.com something of a roadmap how to win the next case.

If NSoft puts up a lousy fight and World.com wins, all the other companies get to see Worlds.com's case and have an advance chance at dissecting it and avoiding NSoft's mistakes.

If Worlds.com loses against NSoft, then the negative facts against Worlds.com in that case can be used against them if they try to use someone else. (They are bound by the adverse results of cases in which they were parties.)

If the parties settle, then Worlds.com might be setting a settlement ceiling when it comes to going after others.

In any event, the best play of any other concerned company is not to weigh in, but just wait and see what happens with NSoft. Linden Lab has absolutely no incentive to make any sort of public statement. They probably need an internal opinion they can share with potential investors.

P.S. It's really pretty much a truism for any jurisdiction that the home town juries are biased for the home team. And the home town lawyers always know how to work the local system better than visiting lawyers. That's not something unique to Texas.

Thank you Amity for that well informed reply. I apologize if I offended anyone from Texas.

Weren't they going after Cryptic first over City of Heroes and such like?

They do come across as a bitter company and it does their reputation no favours.

I'm in Texas, and East Texas is considered pretty redneck even by Texas standards.