Unbelievable:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/12/microsoft-patents-a-slider-earning-effs-stupid-patent-of-the-month-award/

Well, LibreOffice (which is really just OpenOffice) has that exact patented thingie in the bottom right corner. It predates the patent by 7 years.

So... kudos to the EFF for ridiculing an obvious patent and at the same time not seeing the obvious.

Am I right that all those patent trolls only exist, as in Texas the loser doesn't need to pay all fees from both parties?

That's right as far as I know, but...

Well I guess that's why we don't see such in the EU.

No. The reason we don't see them is Poland. The fees would not nearly be high enough to discourage a patent troll. You only need to win one case, and you have enough money to go to court another 20 times, even if you lose.

E-Patents were decided and were to be ratified by the member states when Poland joined the EU. First thing they said was: "The fuck, what? You guys crazy or what? No way!".

Thank you, Poland.

And goes on and on:

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/02/jury-apple-must-pay-626-million-to-patent-troll-virnetx/

yeah, hopefully the US finds a way to close down the loopholes that allow such companys to even exist.

Making over 600m $ with a small company of 15 people, not even really intending to develop a product, and just extorting money with patents you got from another company (for cheap I guess?) for a 5 year justice marathon sounds like a pretty sound "business plan"... if it works out. Getting their way with royalities would most probably make everyone in the company a billionaire without having to do much other than preparing their cases for court.

I guess the patent troll company is composed of lawyers and business sharks?

How is this kind of patent law beneficial to the economy or anyone besides some "criminals" working in a shady grey area that is still seen as legal today?

Making over 600m $ with a small company of 15 people, not even really intending to develop a product, and just extorting money with patents you got from another company (for cheap I guess?)