Facebook’s GraphQL spec doesn’t grant a patent license | Hacker News Reader

Facebook’s GraphQL spec doesn’t grant a patent license

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88 pointstyurok13 comments

Software patents are out of control. Something should be done. And that something is not to unbalance the entire battlefield in favor of Facebook. Facebook is not looking out for the health of the ecosystem any more than they are for the freedom, independence, and privacy of their users. Large tech companies are creating environments that will stifle the ability of small companies to build new things or compete.

I'd argue that's a natural state of competition. Whenever a party reaches a dominant position, they'd use their power to stifle would be competitors (absent any regulations preventing otherwise).

> Whenever a party reaches a dominant position, they'd use their power to stifle would be competitors (absent any regulations preventing otherwise).

True. "Natural" doesn't mean good. Leprosy is "natural" too.

Agreed it's out of control and a recent code generation patent is another example [1].

Anyone can share experience in opposing a patent? [2]

[1] https://twitter.com/fehguy/status/900736518884425728

[2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15121985

I don't know. Put more pressure on tech companies to actually do something about the problem? Facebook is not really doing anything about it except making the field even more uneven (at the detriment of anyone who might have a patent that Facebook could infringe on).

Apparently the author believes the Facebook patents only applies in the context of a social network.

though it also suggests that a 'social-networking system' can be interpreted very broadly

almost every app has a way of sending a message to another user, which could technically be a competitor to Messenger

Yes - I feel the article's interpretation is a little overblown and social network refers to more of a Facebook competitor than anything else.

Github for instance uses GraphQL and they have a 'social' element since there are users who can post on forums and message each other. Does the author believe Github is infringing the patent? I feel that would be taking it too far. It would be interesting to hear Github's view on the article

social network refers to more of a Facebook competitor than anything else

When it comes to enforcement, it only matters what one expert witness "of ordinary skill in the arts" says. If Facebook can hire someone who claims to be of ordinary skill and says that Github is a kind of social network, a jury will likely agree.

We just had an article headline today that said Email is the largest social network.

I find it very plausible that if push came to shove a decent lawyer would be able to convince a jury or a judge that Email is indeed a social network.

Because the patent text literally includes that qualifier.

> Examiner suggested . . . to advance the prosecution of this application: 1) Add the following limitations in claim 1: ‘a) graphs associated with a social-networking system’ . . . .

I'm guessing someone is going to try to argue that all graphs are social networks as opposed to the opposite using very vexing vernacular.

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