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New user? To: The Brain; Subject: Your New Patent
I have been a customer of Natrificial for a couple of years now. I use The Brain just about every day. I am very disappointed that you intend to use your patents as a barrier to entry for other people who might create competing products.
"Its issuance creates a significant barrier to entry for companies considering developing similar technology and solidifies TheBrain.com’s position as the leading provider of visual information environments."
Without competition, there is no market. I believe your attitude will result in The Brain continuing to be a niche tool with little mindshare. That makes me sad because I've loved your product from the first time I used it.
I'm sure your VCs have told you they want you to have your market all to yourself. Well guess what, you can have it. Nobody wants to play with bullies.
Until I see some assurance that you will NOT use your patents as as weapon, I will no longer be supporting your company in spirit or through my business. You might be aware that there is also a massive boycott of Amazon.com right now over this very issue - weak software patents. The 'net will win.
Ask not what the Internet can do for you. Ask what you can do for the Internet.
http://www.noamazon.com/
http://www.nowebpatents.com/
Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com, on patents:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/subst/misc/patents.html
Tim O'Reilly, founder of O'Reilly and Associates on Amazon and patents:
http://www.oreilly.com/ask_tim/bezos_0300.html
And here's some prior art for you:
http://trumpet.sdsu.edu/semnet.html
Do the right thing and announce that you will NEVER use your patent as a means to stifle innovation. Do you really want it to take 17 years before your vision is fulfilled?
Jim
