A patent doesn't mean much until it is legally challenged in a court of law. Patent offices often make mistakes and big companies are always fighting over their validity. Just look at the recent case of microsoft claiming that the GUI of the ipod infringes one of their patents. Runningbear
I think that it is not too far a leap from imagination to say that Jessie Livermoore already was using something like this with his hieroglyphs on his quotescreen. I believe that he already wrote the prices in vertical numbers. You can take it even more simple: If you get in an elevator then you push on a number in a vertical row to which floor you want to go. Now how much different is that? M.
My sentiment exactly. I wonder who has the "patent" on the elevator button thing and whether there were lawsuits when competitors had the audacity to also use a vertical button sequence on the wall panel of their own elevators. Perhaps the ventilation system at the patent office was not working very well when the DOM application came through.
Thunderdog. You get right to the heart of the matter. And if someone uses the patent law to make an "obviously hard to defend patent", then they deserve wasteful litigation costs! This TT trader guy, wants the 2.5 cents from the exchanges and that is the bigger picture and internal fight/posturing that we are not understanding. But as Traders we will pay it...we will pay just about anything to trade with the tools we need... Michael B.
Michael You just have to wonder why TT did not succeed with the exchanges. I think they just laughed at him! Why do you think he has gone the way of attacking the brokers / DOM vendors one by one? These people do not have the funds to defend themselves and do not want to have their business income disrupted by protracted courtcases! And you know that it is often more the case of who has the best lawyer than who is right. So they bend over and pass the costs on to the goats. I can visualise the cigarette, chocalate bar vending machines: initially they had a small drawer, then it became a row of vertical buttons and now a matrix. WTF? The principle is no diff! We have adjusted our trading in such a way that we are not held to ransom by morons like Harris and / or the patent office. Maria
Maria, You folks sound like a knowledgeable bunch...I have nothing but respect for you and your friends and your Father when he was alive. I truly wish you the very best in Trading and your doing his handle well... I look forward to your future posts and learning your insights. Michael B.
Thank you for the kind words. Patents, litigation, liberalism are the US downfall. Just think why China is leaping so fast ahead of the US. Dad worked in China and he mentioned that they have no respect for intellectual property.
It's funny, The Chinese exploit Capitalism better than we do...We seem to be becoming a police state here in this Nation of States. Michael B.
yea - this is my trail of thought too. he starts off with the tiddlers to get some momentum and fear going in the press. the easy targets fall first - ninja, pats (pats = strategic target), trade maven etc. he then gets too big for his boots and goes for refco and rosenthal and could well get his butt badly kicked. i guess this doesnt explain how cantors/espeed buckled/sold out to him though cos they are pretty big (just in the interests of a balanced view)
Sorry, but I think that is taking it a bit too far. The use of patents serves a very useful function when properly administered. However, as I see it, the granting of a patent on a DOM window is about as legitimate as granting a patent on a sandwich. To this layman, it is patently absurd. I think that it is the abuse of the issues you mentioned that are cause for concern rather than the issues themselves. Operating in an environment where there is no respect for intellectual property is great if you are a pirate. It is not a very good breeding ground for innovators. (And how, exactly, did "liberalism" get into this thread?)