See, this is the sort of thing that can just kill innovation. A company called Frontline Technology Limited (FTL) has obtained patents for "the transfer of student data by radio." Now the company's information page says, "I am using IEEE 802 wireless/ I am using GPRS to collect student data by radio. Should this be licensed by the patent? Yes." Thus, if you use your 802.11 wideless network to transfer an Excel speadsheet over your LAN, you should pay FTL royalties for this "innovation." This is not just some idle threat, either: FTP has taken Tasc Software Solutions Limited of Wolverhampton and others to court for infringement of its patent relating to the transfer of pupil data in education by radio ? patent number EP 0664061. Now I ask, just what is it in this case that "the budding entrepreneur" has spent "years finding a solution to a problem which perhaps others have given up on?" It seems to me that FTL's main activity was to collect patents (they have an impressive array). Did they create 802.11? No, IEEE did that, and companies like Intel developed wireless 802.11 hubs and networks. Did they create Excel? No, that was Microsoft. So what, exactly, did they develop? And why does the law say we should give them money? Stupid. Just stupid.CRLF
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