A Signal about the Economy
August 29, 2010
I noted the lack of hoo-hah in Cisco’s recent financials. today I read “Intel Warns, Wireless is Weak — Is Something Wrong in Techland?” and realized that the Silicon Valley crowd does not realize the scope of the economic problems in places like rural Kentucky. Maybe a quick visit to Harrod’s Creek is necessary? McMansions are for sale. Store fronts are empty. Some people look stunned most of the time. At a restaurant last night, one fellow looked at those inside and I was certain the guy was going to go postal. I moved to a booth away from the window. Better safe than sorry.
What surprised me this afternoon was the write up “Does Paul Allen Suing The Entire Internet Prove Our Patent System’s Broken?” I am not sure the patent system ever worked. What I think is that some big guns want to put a piece of rebar in the racing bikes of Google and some other folks.
I imagine that Google will assert that innovation is better than litigation. Facebook will probably huff and puff. But the reality is that Google now faces Oracle and Paul Allen plus a number of other legal challenges large and small. Frivolous litigation is nothing new. Deep pockets are needed and Google’s new antagonists have money and powerful pals.
A distracted Google in a booming economy is probably no big deal. A distracted Google in a lousy economy with potentially softening ad revenue is a different type of situation.
Stephen E Arnold, August 29, 2010
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