Yahoo Sues Xfire

[CSN NewsBot]

Xfire, a popular game chat utility, has recently come under attack from Yahoo. Yahoo is suing Xfire for patent infringement, citing that the technology used in Xfire was previously patented by Brian Gottlieb and Chris Kirmse while under employment by Yahoo.[break="click to read the rest"]

The patent, referred to as the '125 patent for the last three numbers of U.S. Patent No. 6,699,125, was granted to two then-Yahoo employees, Brian Gottlieb and Chris Kirmse, on March 2, 2004. As is typical, ownership of inventions by employees remains with the corporation the employees work for. Such ownership rights are usually sealed in hiring contracts signed by employees when they're hired.



In the case of the '125 patent, Gottlieb and Kirmse were employed by Yahoo when they developed technologies for a game-specific variation on Yahoo's popular Yahoo Messenger. Yahoo has been the sole owner of the '125 patent since it was granted.

Xfire issued an official response that simply states how they are disappointed in how this matter is being handled, and they thank their over one million users for their support.



Should the case continue, lawyers say a matter such as this could cost over $2 million to defend and take up to two years to resolve.

[mcmoohee]

Fun stuff. I hate both companies - long live ASE.

[redkulat]

Edited by [user="280147"] @ [time="1107626197"]

Yeah same. Google owns Yahoo and Gametiger, Ventrilo etc... are fine for me.

[masterren]

Xfire is great...ingame chat lets you talk to people while you're playing cs and they're playing wc3, for example.

[snkcube]

Hopefully this will be solved.

[FL!P]

Meh. Xfire's not bad, I still don't use it though. Yahoo sucks.



I'm lonely.

[wiReZ]

Haha! You know Xfire is going to have to fold now, no chance when you have a large company like Yahoo! suing you. You know what would be funny? If instead of CNN posting this, http://news.yahoo.com was. Haha!



-James

http://wirez.wxcs.com

[NightSh4de]

I really like Xfire. Yahoo is probley jealous they didn't make it first and then charge money.

[ImPhayze]

wiReZ wrote..

Haha! You know Xfire is going to have to fold now, no chance when you have a large company like Yahoo! suing you. You know what would be funny? If instead of CNN posting this, http://news.yahoo.com was. Haha!



-James

http://wirez.wxcs.com

Ironic is'nt it?

[ShittingBasterd]

Yahoo can choke on a cock for all I care, long live Xfire!!

[HankPym]

NightSh4de wrote..

I really like Xfire. Yahoo is probley jealous they didn't make it first and then charge money.

I don't know how you can say that without knowing the details of the case. If XFire really is using patented technology, Yahoo! has every right to sue.

[abysmal]

This is true. If xfire really did do wrong, they deserve everything that comes at them. You can't class a company as good or bad just because the software they make is good or bad. It comes down to morals and ethics, at least in my opinion.

[GeOTek]

10, from what i read, it wasnt patented yet. TO BE patented i think it said. The guy on xfire used to work for yahoo he gave away stuff he wasnt supose to, patented or not. I assume it was in yahoo's contract.

[The-Moose]

i hate yahoo. yahoo can go have sex with a giant uragutan in africa for all i care.



xfire is cool. but i dont know anyone that uses it. i mean, no clan memebers etc etc

[Tuxedo_Penguin]

I don't care about any of this legal double-talk, I enjoy using Xfire and hope that it continues to operate, regardless of possible copyright infringment. Yahoo is just pissed because there isn't a Yahoo logo on the Xfire client. They're angry that they didn't pursue the concept, and now they're suing to put Xfire out of the job so they can launch their own YahooFire, or whatever.



/Hopes Yahoo loses.