The below is a “comment” in response to an article on GIGAOM pertaining to the law suits…

I believe that supporting Patent Reform will be more difficult as the public becomes more educated about the real dynamics at play here (the big and powerful vs. the little guy).

Check out this comment from Ronald J Riley. Ronald’s comments merit consideration from Agora Members. I believe that Riley’s comments are similar to many of the sentiments expressed on this board and by TPL. Wolf has posted content from Ronald J Riley in the past….

The original blog that spurred the comment is at:

http://gigaom.com/2008/03/24/cisco-s...

I have cut and pasted Riley’s comments below:

Ronald J Riley said:

Stealing others’ property is bad behavior! Conducting anonymous smear campaigns against inventors and their partners is bad behavior!

Has it occurred to anyone that Cisco is getting sued because they have a big appetite for other’s patent property and a big ego that gets in the way of acquiring the rights to the patent properties they need to succeed in the market?

Could the reason that Cisco has seen its litigation increase by an order of magnitude be that they are taking liberties with an increasing number of other’s patent properties?

Have you considered that Cisco gets sued after they have refused a legitimate offer for a license?

Is it possible that Cisco’s entitlement mentality has led them down the wrong path, a path where greed and ego trumps ethics?

Or have you considered that Cisco’s membership in the Coalition for Patent fairness and PIRACY, aka. the Piracy Coalition is a good indication that birds of a feather do flock together?

Some companies start as inventors, and some start as parasites on those who have invented. I believe that Cisco is a parasite.

Eventually they end up alike, one group never being inventive and the second losing the ability to invent as they age. Both will try to substitute quantity in patent filing for the quality of inventions they are incapable of producing. It does not work.

All Piracy Coalition members fit one of these profiles. Tech companies who are past their prime, insurance and banking collectively have no shame!

What they very good at producing is innovative media hype which obfuscates the reality of their existence. Their multi-million dollar “troll” campaign is a perfect example of this. They paint their victims as “trolls” while the courts are finding their conduct so egregious that they are handing down staggering judgments which are generally being upheld by higher courts. This is what happens to those who are caught lying, cheating, and stealing and no amount of public relations painting their victims as evil “trolls” can change the facts of these cases.

Personally I think that it is a shame that Piracy Coalition members have failed to learn the lesson that inventors and the courts are teaching. It is all about conducting one’s business in an ethical manner!

Ronald J. Riley,

Speaking only on my own behalf.
Affiliations:
President - http://www.PIAUSA.org - RJR at PIAUSA.org
Executive Director - http://www.InventorEd.org - RJR at InvEd.org
Senior Fellow - http://www.patentPolicy.org
President - Alliance for American Innovation
Caretaker of Intellectual Property Creators on behalf of deceased founder Paul Heckel
Washington, DC
Direct (202) 318-1595 - 9 am to 9 pm EST.