OSNews

Indeed, the real issue here is that Microsoft does not even need to disclose anything to extort money : just the threat of going to litigation is enough.

The small company know that, even if they are in their own right, fighting will cost them so much, and risks are so high, that the only sensible to do is to settle. It has nothing to do with any patent being valid : the prosecution is so complex and the patent system so badly broken in US (anyone remembering RIM 600 millions USD settlement on a patent claim broad enough to attack the SMS ?) that no one can actually guarantee they will win. The only thing you can do is plan to fight, and how much resources you can afford in this fight. If you know you can't draft enough forces, you'll lose, or die before the end of the fight. End of story.

I agree this is mostly because the US patent system is broken, but just saying that abusing a broken system is "good" is not my opinion either ! Everybody on Earth has a responsibility, and choose by his/her actions to make the world a worse or better place. I could just go and kill the grand ma on the other side of the street and steal her wallet without any risk for me, but for some reason i wouldn't do it. And no, this is not "only" because of the police.

Just abusing a situation because you can is not good reason enough. Not for normal and honest citizens. Now, for crooks and villains, yes, this is good reason enough. Now, choose your side.