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[APML] Holy Patent Infringement Batman!



Hey,
 
Having been in a company where we were battling with another one over this kind of issue, I can strongly speculate what is happening.
 
-  Stock price valuation
 
In the case I am aware of, company Q claims to have invented a technology actually invented by an actress in 1942.  But by making such claim, and strongly enforcing it via legal and political avenues, the company took it's stock price up 1000% in the late 90s (ok it is lower now, but the main company officers are well rewarded).  
 
Lesson 1 = Tell everyone you are the keeper of knowledge, and the first ones to believe you (and the last to realize facts) is the investor community (especially the public ones not the industry ones). 
 
It does not mean that any company is "bad" but does mean they mean business...  The kind where they make enough to be satisfied with.  Now if they can also build a product that is very available, inexpensive, and market controlling the results are even more enjoyable. 
 
Right now it seems to me that Tasco has shown that they will invest funds to make a move on the marketplace and Meade has to show the Street they will respond to keep their stock from devaluating further.
 
Fun stuff to watch and purely speculation on my part.
 
Keith
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-astro-photo@seds.org [mailto:owner-astro-photo@seds.org]On Behalf Of Andy Wallace
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 5:00 PM
To: astro-photo@seds.org
Subject: Re: [APML] hey Tony!

As you must know, these  lawsuits are very common in the software business. It is one thing to file a suit, another to win. Is there a chance Celestron is violating Meade patents with their "go-to" technology? Is it impossible to design a "go-to" mount without violating Meade patents?  If those of you who write software had it copied by your competitors, would that concern you?  Would you try to protect your intellectual property? Doesn't Astro-Physics sell some voice-recognition software? Is it in the public domain? Or is this a case of "Meade big, Meade thus bad"!
 
Andy
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 2:48 PM
Subject: Re: [APML] hey Tony!

In a message dated 10/23/2001 10:43:43 AM Pacific Daylight Time, tonyhallas@foothill.net writes:


Nope.... never heard of this... who is Meade???

        


You might want to take notice because their strategy is to sue and defeat Celestron, and with that in their back pocket, they'll go after all the smaller fish. That includes Losmandy, AP, Paramount and others who have developed mount technology, but who cannot hope to outspend Meade to fend off their patent. This whole episode just brings back another time when we were threatened to be sued by Meade, and you somehow had a hand in holding back their steamroller.

The thinking among us smaller manufacturers is that after Meade wins the Celestron fight, they will defeat all the rest, then settle for some kind of royalty/bribe if we want to continue to make mounts. If that happens, then these mounts will disappear from the market, and you all can enjoy your hobby with nice quality Meade equipment.

Roland Christen