Streaming sites fight patent claim

Looks like Acacia’s attempt at claiming royalties based on its patent of basic audio and video streaming technology is back firing. The company decided first to go after porn sites, which typically are profitable entities that use cutting edge Internet technology to, um, enhance the user experience. Anyhow, a group of 40 sites has banded together and is fighting back, according to Forbes:

Rather than buckling, though, several of the porno sites joined together and stood their ground. Now Acacia is in the fight of its life and may even face a shareholder revolt as a result.

My own thoughts are that this type of patent enforcement is equivalent to hitting below the belt. Why not enforce the patent from the beginning? Oh right, there’s no money to be made then. Waiting ’til something becomes ubiquitous before jumping up and saying, “Surprise, you owe us a truckload of money” is bad business practice. It’s fine to enforce patents, just do so from Day One.