Microsoft was ordered by a federal jury yesterday to pay $1.52 billion in a patent dispute over the MP3 format, the technology at the heart of the digital music boom. If upheld on appeal, it would be the largest patent judgment on record.

I realize that patents are created to protect the people who develop intellectual property, but I also think this was out of line. If you develop a new technology, you should get it out there yourself as/in a product or start selling the licensing for it. Waiting 20 years and then going for the wallet is a move made by people looking for the easy money, I think. I know a lot of you will disagree, but think about the “licensing” of Internet hyperlinks that was talked about (usually with gritted teeth) a few years back.

What do you think. Should Microsoft have to pay?

[via New York Times]