On: Court: Google infringed patents, must pay 1.36 per...

[CamperBob2]

I remember thinking exactly that, when Microsoft was hit by the $100M Stac Electronics judgement in 1993. "Surely large companies will understand now that they have a lot more to lose from software patents than they could possibly have to gain," I said to myself. "I'll bet they're calling their pet Congressmen and writing checks this very minute."

I've been wrong before, but not usually that wrong.

[devcpp → CamperBob2]

Instead they played that same game and are now part of the big software patent companies. In a selfish perspective, it does make sense.

I fear Google one day understands that they should join this mafia and start suing for their patents, under the pressure of their shareholders.

[skj → devcpp]

The Googlers would revolt.

[shadowfox → skj]

You may be overestimating a lot of googlers

[skj → shadowfox]

I'm sure there are a lot who wouldn't care, but MANY would leave (including myself), and recruitment would dry up. It would be a disaster.

Despite what hacker news comments would have you believe, Google is (in my strongly held opinion) a force for good in the tech world, and very genuine in what it tries to accomplish.

Becoming a patent troll would undermine that sentiment.