Screaming Penguin - Source Does Matter

Wow, thats about all I can say to this one. Kodak has been pursuing Sun for a few years over what it alleges are patent infrigements that Java makes on its technologies. Kodak you say? Yeah, Kodak bought Wang a few years back and that is where the technology patents originated. Recently Kodak won a court case in the matter but it was believed that this would just be the first in a long series of battles and appeals over the $1B that Kodak wanted.

In a very surprising move Sun has settled the suit for $92M. I know Sun has to protect its crown jewel, Java, but man that has to hurt.

And BTW, software patents for an overall type or concept of technology (not a specific product) really suck. This kind of thing really kills innovation and really hurts the people that did a ton of work on Java (after all even if Wang COULD own the concept of an object passing a message in software, they still did not implement something and work to make it feasible and widely used). I am not saying all patents suck, just generalized concepts or broad ideas should not be patented but rahter specific items or products.   Kodak, Sun Microsystems Settle Java Suit