Bitcoin Forum

Bitcoin => Mining => Topic started by: hv_ on July 19, 2016, 07:59:07 PM



Title: Do miners need to pay license fees to BS in future?
Post by: hv_ on July 19, 2016, 07:59:07 PM
Because they run parts of their patented code bits?

https://blockstream.com/2016/07/19/blockstream-defensive-patent-strategy/


Title: Re: Do miners need to pay license fees to BS in future?
Post by: Relnarien on July 19, 2016, 08:14:32 PM
No. Did you even read anything other than the headline?

Quote
Our patent strategy is designed to accomplish one simple goal: ensure that Blockstream technology is available for all to use, royalty-free.

Quote
If you use any technology we have patented, you may use it royalty-free, for any purpose, unless your actions violate the conditions we've stated (such as launching patent litigation against us or other users of our technology).

In a nutshell, the patent is simply meant to ensure the open-source nature of any technology that Blockstream employees create. They don't have to be paid any royalties -- that's all they're saying. I don't even know why you'd think what you thought when the article clearly and explicitly states the opposite.

Looking at it from their perspective, the patent is there just so no one can profit from maliciously claiming the work as their own or patenting parts of it in order to monopolize any technology built from it.


Title: Re: Do miners need to pay license fees to BS in future?
Post by: GermanGiant on July 20, 2016, 10:44:58 AM
Because they run parts of their patented code bits?

https://blockstream.com/2016/07/19/blockstream-defensive-patent-strategy/
No way. Blockstream did not invent mining.


Title: Re: Do miners need to pay license fees to BS in future?
Post by: Mark02 on July 20, 2016, 01:28:14 PM
I don't think Blockstream could ever try and enforce it successfully anyways, there is no worry about this.

Maybe, but according to the article that I read(which is the article being the topic here) https://blockstream.com/2016/07/19/blockstream-defensive-patent-strategy/ . I don't see any words or phrases that says they will collect tax to the miners. And it is not right that miners will have to pay taxes because miners can only produce a tiny amount of profit, as the electricity cost and other expenses to deduct from their daily earnings, I think it will cost some miners to shut down their operation specially the small one's. Maybe the large miners can be, because they can support those expenses as they are earning a decent amount of returns everyday and in addition, they are already paying taxes included in the renting of the site, in the electricity cost and etc...


Title: Re: Do miners need to pay license fees to BS in future?
Post by: Wilhelmus on July 20, 2016, 04:49:57 PM
Whatever they did in patenting, mining is not a thing coming from them, so nothing can be done by them in that way.


Title: Re: Do miners need to pay license fees to BS in future?
Post by: groll on July 29, 2016, 04:00:02 AM
I don't think Blockstream could ever try and enforce it successfully anyways, there is no worry about this.

Maybe, but according to the article that I read(which is the article being the topic here) https://blockstream.com/2016/07/19/blockstream-defensive-patent-strategy/ . I don't see any words or phrases that says they will collect tax to the miners. And it is not right that miners will have to pay taxes because miners can only produce a tiny amount of profit, as the electricity cost and other expenses to deduct from their daily earnings, I think it will cost some miners to shut down their operation specially the small one's. Maybe the large miners can be, because they can support those expenses as they are earning a decent amount of returns everyday and in addition, they are already paying taxes included in the renting of the site, in the electricity cost and etc...

In the future or even today big mining farms will be taxed here in my country if ever they will built one here. But I guess even those in other countries are paying corporate taxes. The only miners who does not pay tax are those miners who are doing solo mining, or individuals who is/are not a company and doing mining in secret.


Title: Re: Do miners need to pay license fees to BS in future?
Post by: NorrisK on July 29, 2016, 07:37:39 AM
Whatever they did in patenting, mining is not a thing coming from them, so nothing can be done by them in that way.

You are quite wrong there. They can own a specific code for mining. This doesn't mean they own mining, they only own mining in this specific way.

If you read their statement, they are mainly doing this to prevent others from patenting stuff. Everything will remain free to use under their TOS.



Title: Re: Do miners need to pay license fees to BS in future?
Post by: QuintLeo on July 30, 2016, 08:49:11 PM
Whatever they did in patenting, mining is not a thing coming from them, so nothing can be done by them in that way.

 Patent law recognises "prior art" as an absolute defense.

 I wish Trademark law also did so.


Title: Re: Do miners need to pay license fees to BS in future?
Post by: PremiumCodeX on July 31, 2016, 02:23:43 PM
Your question comes from the concept of them wanting to run parts of their patented code bits and you assume they could get right to set license fee because of it, right? Well, it does not mean they will own the whole mining so they cannot change the terms of mining on such a scale in the future. Also, it would be against the concept of the free, decentralized BTC network.