[android-developers] Re: Patent Infringement notice by Lodsys.

With all due respect, I don't think this is Google's problem. If all you have is a Market link, that's a feature you "built" and put into your app yourself. It's not like the in-app purchases that Lodsys was basing its attacks on earlier, where devs were being targeted just for using a particular API. This is your own design decision that's brought you into the firing line.

Which is absolutely NOT to say that I condone what Lodsys is doing. I absolutely do not. I'm just saying that Google isn't involved in this instance.

I recommend that you (and all Android devs, really) read the excellent article here: http://fosspatents.blogspot.com/2011/07/cost-efficient-way-for-app-developers.html. It makes abundantly clear that it's utterly irrelevant how valid the infringement claim is; unless you have the financial resources to fight the legal battle, AND are prepared to lose, you have little choice put to pay their demands. It's extortion, pure and simple.

On a related note, does anyone have any idea how to realistically (and quickly) set up a combined legal fund, as outlined in the FOSSpatents blog post? Note that this isn't a fund to fight Lodsys, it's just to share the legal costs that we'll have to pay on top of Lodsys' protection money.

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