Come and Get Me, Vuestar!
Okay so this company in Singapore is claiming that they own the patent to the "technology" that allows you to link an image from your website to a URL on another website. They feel that everyone who has a website with an image that links to another site should have to pay them a licensing fee.
So they own the patent to a snippet of a commonly used markup language? They own "a href" if you put that in front of an image?
Apparently they have been sending out invoices to people who have images on their websites that link to some other site. Oh, I DO wish they would send me one. They now have a FAQ on their website, explaining why you should pay them to have links on your website.
It is worth noting that the only service Vuestar provides is the questionable "service" of invoicing people for using html.
Thousands of us should gather in their parking lot some morning. Just stand there silently. Then, on signal, we would all point at them and laugh.
I love their tagline: "Good ideas with vision."
rlp
.
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I read through their FAQ. I
Submitted by Kirk Longhofer (not verified) on Tue, 05/27/2008 - 16:45.I read through their FAQ.
I think they need to get some "good ideas with grammar!"
Vision? I think they need to
Submitted by Heather (not verified) on Tue, 05/27/2008 - 17:48.Vision? I think they need to make an appointment with their eye doctor.
i agree
Submitted by myBlog (not verified) on Sun, 04/26/2009 - 12:55.dont know what the vision should be. It is a very strange idea - I from my point of view: No thank you!
LOL... I wonder if anyone
Submitted by Sue (not verified) on Wed, 05/28/2008 - 03:08.LOL... I wonder if anyone gets taken in, though?
Some years ago, my son Dan, when aged about 12, made a small website which he called D-World. A couple of years later he received an official-looking email from a company in the USA who claimed to have all copyright on the letter D followed by a hyphen. They told him he should immediately give up all rights to the site and hand it over to them, or they would sue for some vast amount.
My husband wrote an official letter back, pointing out that we weren't in the USA, and Dan was a minor, and that they could be sued for harrassment... and we never heard any more. But we had a few worrying moments. I imagine many people will have more than a moment's concern if they receive an email from 'Vuestar'.
Thanks for information..
Submitted by betsson (not verified) on Sat, 01/03/2009 - 10:49.Thanks for information..
What a crock, whats next?
Submitted by Zoran (not verified) on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 06:27.What a crock, whats next? someone trying to patent 'email'?
you're right
Submitted by betsson724 (not verified) on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 08:04.really good article
It gets even better...not
Submitted by Maarten Broekman (not verified) on Wed, 05/28/2008 - 06:43.It gets even better...not only are they claiming to have a right to invoice you, but they claim that they can invoice everyone that contributes to the use of that image-link.
From their FAQ (emphasis mine):
My web page uses visual images am I the only one paying the Licence?
No. You are required to have a License, as is your Internet Service provider, your Telco whose phones connected to the web and anybody else contributing to the use of the patent. All search engine portals and web sites that have search facilities and images will require separate Licenses.
This is hilarious!
This is friggin'
Submitted by kin on Wed, 05/28/2008 - 09:00.This is friggin' mind-blowing.
I'm amazed the World-Wide Web Consortium hasn't jumped up and down these snake-oil sellers er..invoicers.
I wonder if they've had the balls to bust google images for this.
Seems like a version of the
Submitted by rlp on Wed, 05/28/2008 - 14:05.Seems like a version of the classic Nigerian emails scam. Claim a lot. Collect from anyone who is silly enough or inexperienced enough to not know better.
This was was just so outrageously hilarious. Anyone who knows anything about html has to laugh the idea of someone claiming ownership over a selected piece of a markup language.
I bet the person who founded
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/28/2008 - 17:04.I bet the person who founded this company was once in the Who's Who. ;)
i tagged you
Submitted by tim (not verified) on Thu, 05/29/2008 - 07:59.Gordon - as a punishment for stealing that image I have tagged you - see the rules here http://www.spyjournal.biz/node/533
Cheers Tim
lol, Hey, if I ever got into
Submitted by rlp on Thu, 05/29/2008 - 09:48.lol,
Hey, if I ever got into the tagging thing, I would be in trouble I think. I might get tagged more than I would like. so I'll have to pass. What a boring boy - won't play tag.
;-)
Software patents are an
Submitted by Bernard (not verified) on Sat, 05/31/2008 - 19:58.Software patents are an evil, evil thing. They are often likened to nuclear weapons, and while that may be a little heavy handed, it rings true enough.
what a nice comparison, but
Submitted by порно (not verified) on Sat, 09/27/2008 - 19:49.what a nice comparison, but patents are necessary as nuclear weapon as well
Too Funny
Submitted by John (not verified) on Tue, 06/10/2008 - 14:56.This would make the most hilarious spoof website... trying to claim rights to basic HTML.
The only thing that would make it funnier is if someone were really trying to collect on this stuff. Oh, wait- they are. HA!
You better watch it if you ever travel to Singapore, Gordon. They may try to catch you at the airport.
you're right
Submitted by Financial Company (not verified) on Tue, 05/12/2009 - 07:48.interesting and funny information... nice post!!
Submitted by Anonymous (not
Submitted by حلويات رمضان (not verified) on Sun, 08/24/2008 - 08:04.Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/28/2008 - 17:04.
I bet the person who founded this company was once in the Who's Who. ;)
Ultimately True
Submitted by Ultimate Bet Rakeback (not verified) on Tue, 03/31/2009 - 08:22.I totally agree with you, this is a great point. Ultimately we all have to determine the best outcome.
googd
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 09/27/2008 - 19:46.googd
get some
Submitted by xrapid (not verified) on Thu, 12/25/2008 - 05:07.I think they need to get some "good ideas with grammar!"
Who is the men you are
Submitted by Mike (not verified) on Mon, 01/26/2009 - 01:23.Who is the men you are talking about in the blogpost?
MikeCrabe
If you are looking for
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 13:53.If you are looking for Florda security systems you should look into this site
I didn't understand which
Submitted by Belford University (not verified) on Tue, 02/03/2009 - 22:24.I didn't understand which site you are talking about would you please point a site then i can visit.
they nees to get good ideas
Submitted by <a href=http://cobroweb.com/>cobroweb</a> (not verified) on Mon, 02/16/2009 - 01:26.they nees to get good ideas with grammar!
Very Nice Post!
Submitted by betsson (not verified) on Tue, 02/17/2009 - 11:33.Very Nice Post!
Thanks a lot for your blog!
betsson james
Unbelievable
Submitted by Jeremy (not verified) on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 20:45.It's funny to hear about these kind of people who believe they can try and patent this type of stuff. Gene Simmons is the king of this genre, apparently he has over 1000 commercial three word phrases patented and gets royalties on those.
LOL
Submitted by Cheap Spain (not verified) on Thu, 05/21/2009 - 05:54.had a great laugh.. probably these guys should be taught the basic HTML... but wat a great marketing!!!!!!!
(No subject)
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 03/03/2009 - 11:57.