Wozniak: Paul Allen should be investing, not patent trolling

Computers

During his Embedded System Conference Silicon Valley keynote recently, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak took some time to rag on Paul Allen’s decision to sue Apple, Google, and other companies over patent infringement. “Paul Allen should be out there investing in companies that are doing something, making products, actually making a new future for the world, and not ‘I’m going to sue people, and get in bed with the lawyers to make my money.’ That’s not the right way,” Wozniak said, according to The Register. Wozniak referred to Allen’s strategy as a “patent-troll thing,” and said “any fifth grader could come up with the same approach.” Woz also said he was so perturbed by the Allen’s lawsuit binge — and the big company strategy of paying engineers to file for patents long before the tech is actually available – that he decided to bail on the Microsoft co-founder’s speech at the Computer History Museum to instead indulge in some Marie Callender’s pea soup with friends.

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58 Comments
  • Anonymous

    I think Steve’s eating a bit more than pea soup.

  • Anonymous

    *golf clap*

  • http://profiles.google.com/booboolala2000 Patrick Crumpler

    Too bad Woz hasn’t been running Apple over the last decade, then maybe Apple wouldn’t be known as the king of patent trolls

    • Anonymous

      Fanboy misinformation. You do know that Apple is the most-SUED tech company, right? Not the other way around?

      • Anonymous

        Apple can be a thief and a patent troll at the same time. The two are not incompatible.

        In fact, they kind of go together. Like a Reese’s cup.

      • Anonymous

        Thief? Have you read some of the bogus claims that Apple is sued over?

        Again, where is your evidence that Apple is known as the “king of the patent trolls”? Because they’ve sued a few companies in the last year? Something they’re required to do under patent law?

  • Gquaglia

    Woz makes perfect sense here. I really think he should come backt to Apple as a replacement for Jobs when the time comes. And BTW, Paul Allen is a douche.

    • http://twitter.com/fyrfyter33 fyrfyter33

      They are both Douches! Allen & Apple are both kings of patent trolling. Our current patent system needs reworking. Anything you cannot physically produce, should not be able to be patented. Plain and simple. The fact that you can patent an idea, that does yet physically exist, and you cannot figure out how to make happen, is absurd.

      I’m going to patent, copyright, and trademark my full name, that way anybody else with any part of my name in theirs, I can sue for, which is pretty much the same dumb idea everyone else does! Wholly stupid on everyone’s part!

      • Anonymous

        Apple is the largest single most sued company in the world, look it up, they hardly patent troll. They also have an incredibly high rate of beating the patent trolls. They have deep pockets so everyone sues them at the drop of a hat, please get your facts straight and don’t just roll. You replied to a comment about Woz returning to Apple as Jobs replacement and your reply stated apple were a king of patent trolling. Troll on.

      • Anonymous

        I believe people look at the number of patents Apple files and assume they patent troll. Note: filing a patent isn’t the same as patent trolling. Apple doesn’t file even close to the amount of patents a year that IBM does. It’s more of a protection than a weapon; if Apple didn’t patent every idea they have, then another real patent troll could and try to sue. It also protects against patent infringement suits from larger companies, as patent portfolios deter lawsuits. Why do you think Google is bidding on all those patents?

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1001483324 Gerry Quaglia

        Apple produces successful products. What does Paul Allen produce now, nothing. He rides around on his multi million dollar yacht and sues people. Like I said, a douche.

  • Senor Chang

    What a way to pick and choose Woz… call out Paul Allen, F**KING CALL OUT APPLE AS WELL you fat F*ck.

    • Anonymous

      Here’s the important difference, big mouth: Apple sues based on PRODUCTS IT ACTUALLY MAKES AND SELLS.

      It’s not patent trolling if you have REAL PRODUCTS that are based on your patents.

      Allen needs to either make something or shut up.

      • KCRic

        Oh, you talking about those square icons?…

      • Markubis

        yes, and the letter “i”

        …and the word app

        …and

      • Anonymous

        Does anybody here understand the difference between patents, copyrights, and trademarks?

      • KCRic

        Oh, you talking about those square icons?…

    • Anonymous

      A lot of anger within you PFChangs! That’s why we love you being a key member of the Goofan (aka Apple Hater) nation.

    • Jroc869

      what had happend wuz, Woz was smoking some of Jobs’s medical marijuana before he spoke.

      • http://profiles.google.com/booboolala2000 Patrick Crumpler

        Ironically, Woz has always believed that tech should be more open. He has always disagreed with a lot of Apples patent claims. But certain things should be protected. I remember meeting him in 1982 and he was really excited about computers and tech in the future. Having seen him speak this last year he is still as excited as ever. I expect to see some exiting things come from apple if they let him do more. Plus he likes what Android brings as well.

      • http://profiles.google.com/booboolala2000 Patrick Crumpler

        he was the creator of the pc, jobs was just the hype man. Woz was the wizard.

      • Anonymous

        I guess that makes Jobs Zeus, and Woz the guy who forged his lightning bolts?

    • Anonymous

      I bet you have NO idea who Woz is or what he’s even done. You ‘gook f*ck”.

    • Anonymous

      How come every time I see you I can’t help but think of all those poor little orphan girls in Chang country who were thrown out on the street and made homeless just to wait on a testicular freak like you??

  • http://twitter.com/cramleir Cram Leir

    Lol, two tech companies’ also-rans going at each other. Amusing? yes. Meaningful? no.

  • Anonymous

    Woz needs to lend that advice to Steve too.

  • Scoobypls

    How about this…dont steal oyher peoples patented ideas. Or maybe, look to see if someone else owns an idea before you go to market with it

    • http://twitter.com/McHoffa Mike Hoffman

      or how about patents expire after a couple years if you don’t do anything with the idea? I could patent some really vague idea now and 20 years from now when the technology is out there, make millions… also, if someone does infringe on your patent, you should have a set amount of time, like a year, to file suit instead of waiting until everyone out there is using it in all of their products, and making millions on it by suing every single company…

      • Anonymous

        Don’t patents only last 17 years? Too long for the tech sector, but they do have limits.

  • KCRic

    Really? And what exactly does he call the stunt Apple is pulling with Samsung? The icons are square – we own that! GTFO Woz.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1001483324 Gerry Quaglia

      I don’t if you realize this, Woz doesn’t work for Apple.

      • KCRic

        You don’t say!! As I recall, he did at one point but that has nothing to do with my post now does it? He’s still biased towards Apple. Point proven by his blatant overlooking of what Apple’s doing but yet still deciding to call out everyone else.

    • Anonymous

      A look-and-feel lawsuit isn’t based primarily on regular patents (most likely copyrights), as is composed of numerous factors that, while taken individually may amount to squat, as a whole contribute to consumer confusion and violate the owner’s rights under law.

  • Anonymous

    Walt, where are you??? Woz is speaking. I know you like Woz!

  • Anonymous

    Walt, where are you??? Woz is speaking. I know you like Woz!

    • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR6HpRLyzMY Walter Sobchak

      Just woke up.
      I was just about to chime in on my affinity for this dude.

      • Anonymous

        Well, good morning, Sire! That explains why I didn’t see your comment!

  • Anonymous

    Walt, where are you??? Woz is speaking. I know you like Woz!

  • Martin

    wozniak is a lazy fat bastard, who cares what he thinks? You have how much money and your teeth are still yellow, youre still fat, and you still look like crap? really?

    • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR6HpRLyzMY Walter Sobchak

      Crazy that a dude who is cool, smart, and has a lot of money doesn’t have to be a superficial little pric to get laid.

      • Anonymous

        Touche, my brother, touche. Even if this misguided young Martin doesn’t admit to it. :-)

      • Martin

        he has a fucking segway…seriously? a segway? wonder why hes fat. if your avatar looks like you you probably wont agree

      • The Undertaker

        I take it you’ve never seen The Big Lebowski

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1001483324 Gerry Quaglia

      He’s done more in the field then you will probably ever do.

    • Martin

      let me guess, you guys look just like him… i understand now.

  • Martin

    wozniak is a lazy fat bastard, who cares what he thinks? You have how much money and your teeth are still yellow, youre still fat, and you still look like crap? really?

  • Justfortherecord

    Hey Woz! Tell that to APPLE (stop suing companies) dimwitted fool! What a hypocrite!

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1001483324 Gerry Quaglia

      Woz doesn’t work for Apple.

    • Anonymous

      You know that Apple is the most-SUED tech company, right?

  • Scoobypls

    what a bunch of f’in nerds in here.

    • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR6HpRLyzMY Walter Sobchak

      Really? On a tech blog?
      Are you that dense that you didn’t know who to expect?

  • http://twitter.com/SenorDickhaus Señor Dickhäus

    I love Woz. One of the real good guys of technology.

    • Anonymous

      ditto

  • Anonymous

    Hypocrite. Apple sues over patent issues all the time.

    • Anonymous

      How many in the last 5 years? People see a flurry of several lawsuits and apply it as the “norm”.

      Also, ignores the fact that Apple is REQUIRED to defend their IP, both as a duty to their shareholders and to keep said IP in a protected state. If you don’t defend every time, you lose the right to defend at all.

    • 1T2dirtnap

      Apples sues over patents which it created, not bought. There’s a difference.

  • http://www.facebook.com/bela.goblos Bela Goblos

    I really like this guy…

  • Anonymous

    Interesting concept…then let me ask…what was the 15 year lawsuit against MS all about…which I believe they dropped when MS bailed Apple out years ago OR did this not happen?

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