An Open Letter to Jeff Bezos

Your responses...

Sigh. Here we go again. Good thing the Web gives consumers the upper hand, hmm?

Lane Becker

Patents like this beget patents much worse. Stunt the free nature of the net, and all net-based businesses will fail. Please, stop this.

Ethan Deneault

Henri Asseily

<p>As a published author and subsequently having an indirect business relationship with Amazon, I'm not happy with this situation. There's a pattern being established which places the future in jeopardy. My book is doing well on Amazon but, instead of being pleased, I feel like I'm sleeping with the devil.

Alex Charalabidis

Matt Hallmark

Tom Cook

I have ordered books from Amazon when they were a young company, I was wholly satisfied with the service. Finding and ordering is easy, and the shipping is prompt. However, I find Amazon's actions with this patent wholly disgusting. I can order O'Reilly books (and other reading material) from a local book store within walking distance from my house. Bezos, I hope you are happy about alienating the entire of the technologically inclined. We don't just read O'Reilly books (sorry Tim, but you don't seem to carry much Science Fiction).

Jeff Frasca

Alex Whitney

Kit Lo

Dennis Pipper

I double dare you to sue whoever actually uses your technology. Second I ask some of you protesters to continue developing in your technologies as iof none of this bull had ever happened. You can't stop a moving train Mr. Bezos especially when you're riding on it in the caboose. The Internet is the epitome of "I'm going to build XYZ regardless of what fool thinks they run it." Ayn Rand had a passage about some 20 illustrious engineers who invented the candle in her book Anthem. Are you inventing the candle Mr. Bezos? I do think you are. Please cease and desist. (Yes, I am a fan of Rand not so of her followers, but anyway yes, she did in fact warn us about this fscking shit earlier.)

Rares Marian

Until recently, nearly all of my DVD collection (mostly Anime) as well as the vast majority of computer related books I have purchased online were purchased from Amazon.com. >From this point on I will be purchasing computer books from Fatbrain and videos from Reel and Buy.com. Unfortunately, I have not found many of your competitors to offer the features I particularly enjoyed about Amazon.com (like the commentary sections and the consistently excellent handling of orders) I have missed the excellent service I have consistently received from your company. However, though your competitors do not have better service than you, they ARE sufficient. This combined with the fact that they are not abusing the broken patent system to destroy the culture of openness that made their (and your) very success possible, tips the balance in their favor for at least as long as Amazon persists in defending this patent. In the past I have even given business to your company even when competitors had beaten your price slightly, because I knew that I would receive excellent service and it was not worth the trouble to try them out. You have an excellent customer focused company, perhaps the best. Your abuse of the patent system is the ONLY reason I am not doing business with you. I know that we (the principled computer-enthusiast demographic) will not be able to harm you significantly by our boycott. Since the ranks of Amazon's customers are being constantly swollen by apathetic newcomers, our exodus will not be too sharply felt. We can at least see to it that they stay in business, so that you will not attain in market share the hegemonic monopoly you are presently trying to attain by hijacking obvious ideas and by chilling the culture of innovation that has made the Web and E-commerce viable. Sincerely, Jeff Keays (Santa Clara, CA)

Jeffrey Keays

I've been a regular Amazon customer for quite a while now. Until Amazon makes a few changes and gives up the patent to 1-click and their new patent on associate programs I will shop with bn.com instead. Amazon really isn't any better than Barnes and Noble, but I shopped with you guys for so long it became a habit. Time for a new habit.

Geoff Taylor

Having been using 'the web' since its infancy I find what Amazon has done a personal afront to the community, and yet another reason why there should be serious patent reform.

Menachem Pastreich

Tim is quite right. Bogus patents like these hurt everyone in the long run.

Matt Jensen

These are trivial patents and not novel

Jim Tivy

While I think the bulk of the blame of these ridiculous patents belongs with the US Patent office, Amazon should be using their rights to the patents to prevent someone else from using them, rather than using them themselves. They should follow the model that Linus Torvalds has with handling the Linux trademark. I personally haven't bought anything from Amazon since their attempt to enforce the 1-Click patent. I plan to avoid them best I can, purchasing items elsewhere whenever possible, until they change their methods.

Douglas L Stewart

Nile Geisinger

If Amazon believes it can pull off stunts like this, then I believe they no longer deserve our business.

Chris Grantham

I have to agree - Amazon has, through this action, taken the first steps towards being a less customer friendly company. I will certainly take my business elsewhere until this is resolved. I cannot imagine that this patent is worth the damage this controversy is causing to the Amazon brand.

Sam Schillace

I am an Amazon.com customer and I agree with Tim O'Reilly and Richard Stallman about the 1-click patent. No need to repeat or add to their arguments so that's all I will say here.

Dan Tenenbaum

Joe Tan

Very well said!

David G. Green

Matthew Gioia

Shame on you.

Ed Sherry

Ken Cotton, Tokyo Japan

Robert Karabelnikoff

The voices of my peers have spoken well for me. Thank you Tim!

Benjamin Connelly

Philip Levis

Garrett Rooney

I have long been a buyer from Amazon but now I feel they have gone too far. To me this is an obvious abuse of power that is a consequence of being successful, I would even go so far as to compare Amazon to Microsoft! I will not be buying any more merchandise from Amazon, alternatives exist for everything they do (especially here in Europe where the choice of services is less than in America). /Trevor

Trevor Lyall

Jay St. Pierre, Boulder, Colorado

Every signature on this page is a customer lost, Mr. Bezos.

Matthew Lefkowitz

Alan Schussman

the big K gonna gecha!

Michael Collins

Tomasz Kaczynski

Stephan I. B÷ttcher

Stop Amazon.com before they patent online ordering!!! :-)

Azher Ahmed

If Amazon.com wants to continue trying to patent such broad and stupid things as 1-click shopping and the Affiliate Program, then they can kiss any future business from me or my family goodbye. This patent was never fully reviewed as a number of other sites have used things like this (such as LinuxMall.com to which I am an affiliate). Write your Senators and Representatives and let them know how you feel about the ease with which these patents have been getting through the patent office and demand that changes be made to the system.

Kevin Brown

Enough already! And I thought patents were supposed to be for "non-obvious" things...

Margaret Balfour

This really sucks. I'm disappointed in Amazon for taking advantage of an obviously busted patent system to the detriment of themselves and everyone else. :(

Frank Font

I've been a big customer of Amazon in the past. No more. I'm stopping any sort of purchase from Amazon until you stop enforcing the patent you stole from the original web innovators.

Subrata Das

Don't become just another company sadly scrambling to exploit the digital age. You have prospered on the innovation of others. Don't be so selfish, we all lose.

Chris Elder

I've started buying all my books from Barnes & Noble since this started and will continue to do so. I've likely spent 躔-񘈨 on books with you in the past.

Matthew Steven

Aside from these patents being absurd (patently absurd?), they are harmful to the internet. I agree with everything Tim O'Reilly has said on the subject. Drop the patents, Amazon!

Thomas Winzig

it's a shame that a patent like this can be granted and it's even greater shame when somebody enforces it.

Erik Steffl

Best of luck to O'Reilly & Associates. I am very pleased that you have taken the time to bring this to the attention of so many. I will no longer being using Amazon to purchase my regular book orders.

Michael Weber

David Cheal

Scott Kazimour

what amazon is doing is rediculous. they may be as bad as microsoft in terms of what they are doing to the software industry. between patent abuses like this and legislation like the uctia anyone who values thier personal freedom and right to know whats on thier computer has some work to do. http://www.gnu.org

pixel fairy

After careful review, I have advised the company I work for to avoid proposed dealings with Amazon.com. I also advise a smallish school system, and have pointed out to them the fact that your patenting of obvious and pre-existing ideas goes against both the original idea of patents and against common sense. Amazon.com is no longer linked on any of their sites. I will not reconsider my reccomendations in the future. With your patenting of the "associates" program (incredibly similiar to Multi-Level-Marketing), you have shown utter disregard for both patent protection and the wishes of a large portion of your customers. Thank you for your time.

Paul Tice

When amazon grows beyond the emotional age of a petulant three year old unwilling to share, I will once again give them my business. Until then, I will denigrate them to all my family and friends.

Mike Sali

no one has said it better :) right on, Tim.

brent verner

Mitch Moritz

The 1-click patent is a sham, an embarrassment to our (software) Patent system.

Donn Baumgartner

Stop the madness. Why do this to your very successful business, Amazon? Why anger the very people that brought you this success? We can't stand still as this happens.

Sergio Villarreal

I have done a considerable amount of shopping at Amazon.com. This patent causes me to reconsider where I take my future business.

Matt Tornowske

Christopher Campbell

Arun Katkere

While I appreciate your position in wanting to retain rights to your intellectual property, I do not believe that "One Click" qualifies as either "intellectual" or "property." I have spent many hundreds of dollars at amazon.com in the past, but I will find it difficult in the future to reconcile to my conscience the act of subsidizing an organization that pursues such dubious claims. Other vendors offer, in my mind, equivalent services without the moral baggage, and they shall be rewarded with my patronage in the future. Please reconsider your decision in this matter.

Dr. Brian J. Albright

I was, at one point, a strong proponent of your site, primarily in its infancy, when I thought that it was a good thing, both for book lovers and for the 'Net at large. Unfortunately, I'm no longer of that opinion. Your virtual store has adopted business practices that I could never condone, primarily through your patent applications, which make a mockery of the process as well as stifling competators who are obviously not deriving their innovations from your work. I can assure you that my purchases from now on will be from corner booksellers and from fatbrain.com. You have certainly lost my business.

Kyle Niedzwiecki

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. I shouldn't have to say this, but clearly Amazon cares a lot more about inappropriate and indefensible patents than they do about customer respect.

Cari D. Burstein

We agree here, too. No more purchases from Amazon. Go to <http://noamazon.com>.

dk smith

Daniel Knighten

James V Nutley

Mike Farahbakhshian

Ray Beausoleil

Omari Carter-Thorpe

In the past, I bought a lot of books at Amazon. Maybe I will do it again.

Christian Ullrich

For years Amazon was known as "Spamazon" in the net.abuse newsgroups. When they realised that spamming didn't pay, they turned to aggressively "defending" ludicrous and ill-conceived patents. They have shown that they care about _nothing_ but their bottom line (which in these strange days, means market share and stock price rather than net profit), and will screw every customer they've ever had to achieve it. Nothing less than an abrupt, total, complete about-face in their entire corporate philosophy will get me to even consider doing business with them. I hope others--MANY others--will take the same course of action.

Colin Bigam

Jeff (Mr. Bezos), I stopped shopping at Amazon some time ago. Computer Literacy (now FatBrain) gets my and my co-workers book orders at work. I went so far as to get a corporate account at FatBrain, just so that everyone else in the office wouldn't use Amazon for purchasing (reimbursed) books. Counting up texts, I bought 12 O'Reilly texts in 1999, 4 Oracle books and 3 more security texts. Ok, so I still haven't cracked that Camel book. The 10 other programmers in the office buy alot of books every year. We *get* it - you don't. In a market where there is little differentiation between sites, all that it takes is one (seemingly) little thing to cause me to set my bookmark at a different site. Did I mention that I also buy CD's online too? Coders tend to listen to CD's a good bit of the day ... but that's another protest email. Paul Drake

Paul Drake

Emre Kiciman

These patents wouldn't help you make any money or even any significant advantage over your competitors. You guys're getting a bad rep around my peers... BTW Thanks Tim, Oreilly continues to be my favourite publisher.

Pedro Sam

Though I generally despise the idea of open letters in general (due to the lack of individuality of the response mostly), this is quite simply one injustice that can not stand. It is clear that this is not only a frivilous patent, but an immoral one as well. I cannot possibly believe that Amazon was the first to generate the "invention" of utilizing cookies for credit card storage purposes, and it suprises me that no one has publically announced prior art on this issue. Regarding the pattenting of "affiliate" programs, that is simply bogus. That is patenting a business practice, a money-making strategy. That is no invention, no new technique of innovation. And of course there have been affiliate programs before Amazon's (I actually think theirs is quite new). Amazon's inability to realize this fact (or at least in the case of their CEO) has led me to join the Amazon boycott and sign this letter. For now on, the only purchases made by myself at Amazon.com will be made using 100% gift certificate purchases (thus actually causing amazon to lose money). I'm sure borders.com or bigwords.com or barnesandnoble.com will be happy to receive my paying business, and I won't notice the difference anyway seeing how they brutally copied Amazon's patented internet techniques.

Zach Hensel

While I appreciate your position in wanting to retain rights to your intellectual property, I do not believe that "One Click" qualifies as either "intellectual" or "property." I have spent many hundreds of dollars at amazon.com in the past, but I will find it difficult in the future to reconcile to my conscience the act of subsidizing an organization that pursues such dubious claims. Other vendors offer, in my mind, equivalent services without the moral baggage, and they shall be rewarded with my patronage in the future. Please reconsider your decision in this matter.

Dr. Brian J. Albright

I used to think Amazon.com was cool. I used to be proud of them for being a successful Internet-based business. Now I do not. I will not buy books from Amazon.com again. I get all I need from Fatbrain. Incidentally, that's close to 20 books in the past two months, with many more to come...

Tim Howe

I have been a customer of Amazon in the past. No more. Unless Amazon drops their 1-Click lawsuit, I will not purchase from them. Note: dropping does not include simply losing the court fight (which is pretty much inevitable). A few weeks ago, I was in the market for almost 躔 (plus shipping) of textbooks (and I will be again next semester, and the semester after that . . .). I purchased none of them from Amazon. In addition to the 1-Click issue, I find Amazon's whole additude of "patent whatever we think we can get away with" very distasteful. That distaste is will certainly to influence my buying patterns, even if the 1-Click lawsuit is dropped.

Noah Romer

This kind of abuse of the patent system is what will make it crumble. I will boycott Amazon.com and all of its partners as long as you keep it.

Olivier Crete

Amazon.com just lost a customer. Sigh.

Brent Metz

Nicholas Bayle

I agree whole heartedly with Tim - these absurd patents constitute a theft from the global community. Is Amazon prepared to pay damages to those who have been hurt by this abuse of the courts?

Adam West

This action cannot be seen by anyone who is reasonably well educated about the issue as anything other than an ill-advised attempt to use the legal system of the United States of America to stifle electronic commerce of all types by attempting to impose an industry-wide tax on all electronic commerce, the collected funds from which are directed to the coffers of Amazon.com. Being profitable should be based on a business' ability to compete in its market, and the validity of its business plan, not on its ability to essentially unethically stifle competition.

Patrick Anderson

Stefanos Kiakas

You have lost my business. I tell everyone I know about you. So you have lost a lot more than just my business. You have lost business from my friends, my mother, my father, etc. And you will continue to lose more everyday. I now buy my books from FatBrain and B&N.

Adam Yellen

I used to be an Amazon customer. But I feel that as a consumer and a member of the IT community the only way I can vote is with my pocket book. So I hereby pledge, and intive other signatories to do the same: I hereby pledge that not one cent of my money or money that I have control over via my professional budgets and spending allowences will go to Amazon until such time as they publicly retract their holds on both the 1-click and the affiliate patents.

Dale Babiy

I am an Amazon associate. Or at least, I was until I read about this instance of what I feel strongly is patent abuse and "evil overlord" style tactics with your competitors. As an information technology professional who has been using the internet since 1993, I find the business practices Amazon is attempting to be unfair and petty, to say the least. I'll be switching my associate status to Barnes & Noble.

B. Hall

Jeff - >From what I have read about this issue, I get a bad taste in my mouth when I think of Amazon, especially after this second patent. I used to base my shopping decisions entirely on price. Now I make a point of avoiding Amazon to go to Fatbrain, Ecampus, or Barnes and Noble. If you stop with the patent bullying, you have a return customer right here.

Charlie O'Keefe

One would really have to have a big financial incentive to believe that 1-click is a patentable idea.

Eric Lehman

Xarath

A patent on customer service would be no more absurd.

Nancy Collins

Steve Burnett

Derek J. Balling

Greg Jewell

David Harkness

As someone who makes his living writing computer books, I have a vested interest in Amazon's success. That's why I'm asking you to reconsider your approach of using patent law, instead of competitive energy, to boost your market trajectory. Apart from the fact that 1-Click(sm) is an obvious descendent of cookies, and that there is prior art that should have kept the PTO from issuing the patent in the first place, the larger issue is that you are fouling your own nest. By taking the stance that *you* invented this technology and that it's *yours*, you are running the same risk that my 5-year-old occasionally encounters while playing with friends: others, including the huge cadre of associates and customers that have made you successful, may decide not to play with you any more. Compete, don't litigate.

Paul Robichaux

Tim says it best when he says "trivial application of cookies." There's so much that Amazon does very very well, I can't understand what benefit Amazon thinks will be gained by attempting to artificially limit competition. In the meantime, Fatbrain.com is a fine source for my numerous O'Reilly purchases.

Andy Lester

I will no longer be buying from amazon.com

Patricia J. Hawkins

This is like the Y2K windowing patent: silly. >From now on it's www.noamazon.com.

Josh Knight

Dear Mr. Bezos: I think that your efforts to maintain and enforce the One-Click patent are a mistake which make me question whether I want to continue working with Amazon.com. I agree with Tim O'Reilly's views on this subject and I believe Amazon has not articulated any sensible position in response. I hope you will reconsider. Sincerely, Michael Karlin Beverly Hills, CA

Michael Karlin

The two Amazon patents are about as close as you can come to patenting the air. Until Amazon drops the patents and apologizes for abusing the patent system, I will make sure that our company no longer makes purchases from Amazon. How can the Patent office be so incompetent in the software area, makes you wonder what is going on over there. I wonder if you can get a patent for hyperlinks since no one has patented it already.

Marshall Carroll (President Iocomp Software)

I sent you, Amazon, a message earlier this week. You responded back with a form letter not even addressing my concerns -- you addressed the one-click issue, which alone was not enough to convince me to join the boycott. With the inclusion of the affiliates patent, it's clear that this was not a one-shot deal. I can no longer support your company. And I was a pretty damn big customer. Too bad.

Kenneth G. Cavness

Eric Schoenfeld

ericms{at}NOSPAMpanix[dot]com

Both of Amazon's patents are *trivial* applications of cookies and URLs. Unbelievable!

Si Ly

I have always admired O'Reilly and Associates for their role in the Open Source community. After reading Tim's letter I am more convinced than ever that the people at O'Reilly deserve the respect I have for them- as a business well aware of the needs and issues in its community.

Matthew Helsley

I completely agree with Tim. Here's another angle, consider using Amazon for ONLY research. Use their database for finding what you want. Then go buy it elsewhere. Me personally, I've been doing this for over a year. I find it online and then go out and buy it from a local merchant. I'd much rather have a vibrant local economny than save Ū for a book. Call me a sentimentalist but I like seeing my neighbors having JOBS.

Bill Kearney

Please declare the 1-click patent not to be enforced. This is a technique which is obvious to anyone skilled in the art and should never have been awarded a patent.

Carl Ellison

Tim Lundeen

Tim, I agree. I felt this was so important that I forwarded Dave's comments this morning to all the members of the Common Licensing Work Group (CLWG). Thank you for taking a stand. Michelle

Dr. Michelle Kraus

Kudos to Mr. O'Reilly for taking a public stand on this issue. Has the U.S. Patent Office truly gone off its rockers?

Christopher Gill

Aaron Montes

Add my vote for short sighted and antiInventional. Competition will evolve a way around and over any barrier this weak patent presents. What was the motivation fot the patent application? Surely not to teach! I use Bookpool.com as well as Amazon. Perhaps other purchasers will too?

Jim Christophersen

Brent Simmons

I am all for Amazon and others refraining from doing the "wrong thing." However, even if Jeff Bezos decides _today_ not to be agressive, whoever follows him will de duty-bound to grab these trivial patents. It is important to realize that the fault largely lies with the patent office in this case. WRITE TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE, alongside the letters to patent holders.

Bulent Murtezaoglu

Amazons application and enforcing of these silly patents is rediculous. I can't belive someone who bases their whole business on open standards and free software, of which they wouldn't even EXIST without, is now seeing fit to go proprietary. This about face lends me to take my business elseware, its such an insult to me, and everyone else who uses the internet.

Warren Chartier

The "1-Click" and affiliate patents are examples of taking advantage of a patent office that can't seem to keep up with the times. I happily take my business to FatBrain, and will continue to stay away from Amazon until this stupid patent nonsense is finished.

Drew Taylor

Owen Leonard

Joel Hnatow

At this point, my only worry is that I still have a credit card number somewhere in the Amazon database waiting to be hacked. Because I see Amazon's attitude as a threat to the future of the web, I now fufill all of my shopping needs elsewhere.

Ken Boucher

Price Ramirez

Scott M Parrish

I care about integrity.

Jeff Breidenbach

I have been a happy and satisfied customer of Amazon for a long while. I think it provides good service -- and I use it frequently. I know several others who feel the same way. I am then surprised that Amazon feels the need to use frivolous patents like one-click ordering and the affiliates program to be able to compete. I strongly urge Amazon to not take this path. It is important not to choke off the flexibility of the web in this short-sighted manner.

Anurag Acharya

If only I were as eloquent as Tim. Amazon, I simply must stop doing business with you - both for personal as well as business related books - until this is over. I'll take my money to your competition.

Tackett Austin

Software patents are a bad idea. Independent reinvention is so much more likely than for other things that get copyright and patent protection that patents wind up depriving a lot more people of their true rights than they protect. In addition, the other existing forms of software protection -- copyright, trade secret, and license agreements -- also go too far today, because: 1) Nearly all software is obsolete in 10 years or less. Having copyrights expire that quickly (or at least creating an automatic licensing mechanism like the one that now exists for music) would enable software professionals to improve and debug each other's work, raising the average quality of software in the marketplace and increasing the rate of innovation. 2) Trade-secret law and licensing have been abused to let software makers install code on your computer without your knowledge that reports to them about what other software you have, what web sites you visit, and the like. In my view, you as a sysadmin have the need and the right to know everything that any program on your system may do, no matter where that program came from. 3) Licensing agreements have further been abused to prohibit you from running benchmark comparisons of the licensed code, publishing their results, or telling anyone about bugs in the code. Such restrictions destroy the functioning of the market and give you no recourse if the program does not even come close to doing what it promises to do. I strongly favor abolishing software patents, limiting other IP protections to 10 years or less, limiting the restrictions a license can impose, and not enacting UCITA.

John David Galt

Yet Another Formal Loyal Amazon Customer. Tim O for prez! :)

Blue Lang

I am sorry to see that Amazon.com has shown that they are committed to continuing to abuse the US Patent system with trivial patents. I no longer purchase any books from Amazon. Furthermore, I have influenced my current and former companies to also cease purchasing from Amazon. This includes approximately 1,000 technical employees in the high tech field of software programming and operating system design. Consider retracting the use of these patents in an offensive manner. Your current policies are damaging to your reputation.

Joshua Rodman

Troy Engel

Amazing, the things a company will resort to in fear of the competition. I always thought you were a fearless innovator. You could win without these tactics. Bye Amazon, Hello Powells.

Steve Flippin

Tom Negrino

Fredrik Vraalsen

I have been a strong proponent of Amazon, both in my online book shopping and as an Amazon.com Associate. I have spoken in public and on several mailing lists about how much better your affiliate program is than any other I've worked with. According to your associates site, I have brought you over 񘘐 in business since you started keeping track. This does not include the books I've bought from Amazon.com over the years. I have a support Web site for my book on which I used Amazon.com as the default bookstore for all clickthroughs. Let me explain. I use a redirector service that allows people to choose a bookseller, from the several affiliates programs to which I belong. When they have chosen a bookseller, they can click on any link related to my book or on any of the lengthy list of books in my bibliography, and they will be redirected to the page on their favorite bookseller's site where they can purchase the book. Thus, my redirector gives the customer the ultimate choice, as well as saving them time. In essence, it's the same sort of trivial application of cookie technology and backend logic that characterizes your "1-Click" ordering, only by holding the backend logic, I can make a small change to my script and cut off all or most of the traffic that would have come to you. I believe that your practices of late are destructive and short-sighted, and I have accordingly redirected all of the default traffic from my site to fatbrain.com, whose prices tend to be slightly cheaper, whose Web site provides a better and more detailed rundown of my book, and who have the second best affiliates program I've worked with. I hope you will realize that by refusing to enforce the patents you have been granted, you will restore the faith that I and millions of other customers have had in your service over the years, and, conversely, that continuing to use the patents as a weapon, you will not only be shooting yourself in the foot, but alienating your core customer base.

Steven Champeon

David William Hess

Tim, Thanks for taking a public stand--and a strong one at that. This is starting to feel like the makings of a business school case study classic in how to throw away a leadership position: "Blinded by good fortune, e-commerce pioneer loses moral compass and incurs the wrath of his earliest supporters." Brian

Brian Mulvaney

Get a grip Jeff. I love Amazon, but this has made my view of you and your company go right down the tubes. To be straightforward..."Get a Life!"

Joshua Link

I am voting in the way that Amazon will feel the most: my wallet. I used to buy from Amazon all the time. But now I don't. I hope that we can make a difference. </A></I></I>

Andy Berkvam

Stefan Langerman

Andy Helfrich

One of the driving forces of the "web community" has been that of self-sustainability. We have not had to wait for the market grow to meet our needs; we created the market. Try to take that away and we will rebel.

Kenneth J. Strait

I don't know what's worse, the fact that Amazon filed patents on the blatantly obvious, or that they were actually awarded the patents. Words cannot adequately describe the depth of stupidity that this fiasco plumbs.

Matt Kennedy

brian singer

I just felt that I had to send in this protest. Amazon is apperantly trying to kill the web and everything it stands for and it seems so absurd me. Why bite the hands that feeds you??

Magnus Larsson

I can't say anything that hasn't been said before. Keep the ideas free.

Josh Logan

Amazon's competitors are all just Two-Clicks(tm) away from exclusively getting my money.

Chad Netzer

Software patenting embarrasses humanity and showcases American capitalism for all its evils.

Kirk Woll

I try my very best to avoid rewarding companies that are greedy, and you have now become one of them.

Dean Klear

Dear Jeff, I look forward to remaining an *EX* loyal customer of amazon.com until this issue is resolved to my satisfaction.

Peter Brenton

I have bought several books from Amazon in the past, but I will not buy anything else from you until you publicly disavow this atrocious patent.

Mike Coleman

Jeff R. Allen

Dear Amazon, I know your brokers will have been on your back about the importance to your stock price of creating a monopoly - but those guys know nothing about keeping customers. You have lost this one. john weiley

jweiley

As a regular customer of Amazon I strongly disagree about Amazon's tactics and recent patent filings.

Mark Janssen

You gain patents at the expense of the good will of your customers! Is your business producing and selling propritary software, or selling of books and other goods? Would you rather have a patent which may prove to be worthless or purchases and recomendations of regular customers? The choice is yours!

Mark J Roley

I certainly will not shop at Amazon.com until they drop the patent-related lawsuit AND issue a public apology to the community. Furthermore, the whole frivolous software patent issue is so frustrating to me personally that I make it a point to inform people of the issue, and my stance, whenever they mention Amazon.com. I would estimate that my urging has cost Amazon at least 15 customers at this point.

George McBay

I am the president of a small company. We're building a website with big plans. Those plans were thought up totally independantly of ever using your site (I never have and now never plan to), however those plans will incorporate things that fall under your "patent". When it's up, I'll tell you, then you can sue me. It would be worth it just to turn it into a PR nightmare. Nate Bender President, Curiosity Trading

Nate Bender

I used to be an Amazon customer. But I feel that as a consumer and a member of the IT community the only way I can vote is with my pocket book. So I hereby pledge, and intive other signatories to do the same: I hereby pledge that not one cent of my money or money that I have control over via my professional budgets and spending allowences will go to Amazon until such time as they publicly retract their holds on both the 1-click and the affiliate patents.

Dale Babiy

Interesting thought: To those of you who control your sites' firewall: block amazon.com at the firewall. Yes, its completely over the top, and infringes upon others abilities to use their computer as they see fit. But it would make a much larger impression (or lack of one) in a bigger hurry. user: "Hey, how come I can't hit Amazon?" sysadmin: "It must be those German hackers again. See if they're shutting down FatBrain." Paul

Paul Drake

I object to these patents being used to stifle competition, and in the long run hurt the customer. I don't understand this since Amazon is such a service centered business. This is even more unbelievable considering visiting a competitor's place of business is trivial on-line. Why potentially hurt your business by harming the customers that you are fighting so hard to keep? In the mean time, I have ceased using Amazon and am using more customer friendly alternatives.

Ian Cahoon

Because I love the Internet more than any single entity on it, I am boycotting y'all. I took down all links to you from my web site, (actually, I did this yesterday; before I heard of this boycott; wasn't that prescient of me? :-) and won't purchase from you again until you put all this stuff in the trash where it belongs. Remember, the Internet community made you who you are today. Haven't you aquired enough without legal recourse? Be grateful, Amazon, not greedy. Sincerely, Michael Goglia PS: My records show that I purchased 跕.52 worth of stuff from you between 5/98 and 2/00.

Michael Goglia

Abigail Rolling

Geoff Romer

Amazon.com was the only online site that I bought my college books from. Now I may have to go to a different site. I can nothow these patents passed. That's like Ford trying to patent the wheel, even though it's been used for centuries, and it was a collective idea. They didn't create it, they just gave it a fancy name and called it their own. This is just wrong. Products like these should not be patened, they are just cookies..and that is a collective product also.

Travis Folck

I believe this is a very blatant abuse of the patent system, both the one-click ordering and the affiliates program. Especially the affiliates program. Jeff, I have a very difficult time believing that 1-click and affiliates are somehow innovative and deserving of a patent.

Ben Kosse

David Meeker

The system is in a sad state of affairs. It has become so out of touch with the reality of technology that our elected officials enact laws that strip us of our freedoms everyday, without realizing it. I believe the "Big Brother" that Orwell predicted should have been the "Big Stupid Bumbling Brother." I need not look far to prove my point. Any of the following will suffice: the DMCA, Amazon's patents, Sony Bono Boneheads extension to copyright law, crypto as munitions. The laws have been passed, the freedoms have been stripped, but luckily we haven't had an elected official that's seemed to realize their power yet......

Richard Long

Amazon has provided a great survice to many customers throughout the world. This software patent is totally outrageous. It attempts to make a common-sense practice that I for one know has a been a general practice for a while on many sites. It's a basic practice, not some super-special idea of yours. Cookies were intended to store data about a user. Website operators can choose to use data from a cookie in any way that suits the needs of their site. Therefore, I ask you to do the smart and just thing and remove the patent.

Christian T. Hilchey

Josh Joyce

I agree with all of the points in Tim O'Reilly's letter, save one. He has not endorsed the boycott against you (Amazon) because he believes you provide a valuable service to the community. I believe that while you provide a good service, you are not the only fish in the sea. Because of your enforcement of the 1-Click patent, I have spent 趚 in business on your competitors which I would have otherwise assuredly spent at Amazon. I had been a loyal customer before this, buying a significant supply of books from you over the web. But no more. I will spend no more of my money on you, and recommend to friends and family (and strangers) that they do the same. I find it ironic that this was triggered by 1-Click, as I find it to be a dangerous service---I disabled it on my Amazon account when it first became available. Yet your attempt to monopolize the idea has driven me away from you because I find the attempts to enforce such obvious patents unconscionable (and it is obvious---any competent web engineer asked to implement 1-Click would come up with a system identical to yours). I hope that you will reconsider using 1-Click and other such patents in any other than a defensive manner. I cannot say when I might return to Amazon, but I can guarantee that it won't be before you change your behavior.

Mark Jefferys

Nick Kolowski

You did a great job with Amazon. I often browse your german site (www.amazon.de) but I will not order any book until you drop this patent. Your competitors are just one mouse click away...

Thomas Geil

I was very impressed with Amazon at first and used it to find and buy hard to find books. Since the 1-click patent I have stopped using Amazon and switched to Barnes and Nobles. If the patents are given up freely by Amazon then I will consider returning as a customer but as it looks I will soon prefer another company anyway and you will forever loose a customer.

Chris Aurand

I've used and admired Amazon. Your patent policies are forcing me to go to other sites. Innovate -- don't litigate.

Grant Skousen

If Amazon believes it can pull off stunts like this, then I believe they no longer deserve our business.

Chris Grantham

Dear Jeff Bezos As the microsoft trial proofs unethical manuverings and hard tactic does not win friends and can and will be found legally culpable. So if you don't want to wind up indicted and tried like MS. You'll drop your patent. Patenting 1-click and Affliate programs will only have the affect of ultimately killing innovation and vast increasing expenditure on proprietary research. So listen to common sense and drop the patent

Jianying Ji

Timothy McClanahan

Keep your lawyers away from my software, Bezos!

Doug Salot

I urge Amazon.Com to drop these patent issues and get back to selling books. I have bought many books from Amazon.Com in the past, but until the patent stance changes with Amazon, I will be buying my books elsewhere.

Mike Hill

Ethan Bakshy

Mathias Wegner

Claire Lundberg

Yorick Dix

You're all alone, Jeff.

Peter Folk

Eric Skaug

<xmp>Minneapolis MN, USA</xmp>

Steve Paltzer

Gregg Belli

Andrew van Biljon

Jan Karjalainen

Henrik Mattsson

I have been a customer of Amazon.com since almost the very beginning, and have spent hundreds of dollars on purchases at the Amazon.com website. I feel that Amazon.com offers an amazing variety of services, at reasonable prices. That said, I am also gravely unhappy with Amazon.com because of the way that Amazon.com has chosen to patent ideas that were obvious to me (as a software professional) years before Amazon.com was glimmer in Jeff Bezos' eye. Neither "1-click" shopping or "Affiliates" programs are new ideas; mail order houses have been using these techniques for decades. Amazon.com may have the monetary high ground, but they do not have the technological high ground, or the moral high ground in this war. I'd hate to pour money into the coffers of Barnes and Noble (www.bn.com) but I'd rather do that than support Amazon.com's bid to monopolize Internet commerce.

W. Craig Trader

There are enough online bookstores -- I can live without amazon.com and their 1-click "technology"

Latchesar Ionkov

The net's open kind and patents' proprietary character just don't fit together.

Stephan Tolksdorf

just one more unhappy customer... btw, jeff, why don't you tell us all why you don't see this as an abuse of the patent system???

amy alexander

I've bought O'Reilley books from Amazon, but rest assured, I will buy them elsewhere from now on. Thanks for standing up for us, Tim.

Joe Rumsey

I'd rather click several times in the process of purchasing goods online than make one click to purchase anything from Amazon in light of this comical patent.

John Sommerville

Thank you for speaking out Tim. This sort of behavior by a company that, in-part, defines the internet today, is a step backward. As such, I choose to direct my business elsewhere.

Jeff Johnson

Hi, Over the last twelve months, I have purchased at least 25 CDs from Amazon. As of immediately, I will not buy another product from your company again, until you withdraw your greedy and short-sited patent claim. Ken Ambrose

Ken Ambrose

What does it say about Amazon's intelligence if they really expect these patents to be upheld? What a PR disaster this is. Nobody likes a bully, especially a contemptuous or foolish one. Maybe it's a streak of self-destruction. This is really a very sad development.

Jozsef Izsak

I am very sad that Amazon has chosen their current course of action. Amazon HAD! a loyal following among the web/computer techie crowd. We are a group that likes purchasing items on the web. But I'm now urging all my associates and clients to boycott Amazon. First the 1-click stuff, now the simple concept of an associate program. Amazon can not be permitted to continue this very damaging "land grab".

Chuck Gadd

As many others have already stated, I too am participating in a total boycott of Amazon.com. I have done so since the first day the story broke... Since that time, I have purchased books at BN.COM exclusively... Even when it meant paying a couple of dollars more than had I bought from Amazon. I'm not so kind as others (like Tim) have been... I hope this patent nonsense utterly destroys your company, and your person fortune. A statement needs to be made. I vote with my dollars. Thousands of others will too.

Bruce Arnold

Frank McNamara

Yorick Dix

I fail to understand how Jeff Bezos can label this a "successful" patent when all it patents is something completely obvious as an implementation of cookies. He is abusing the patent system in order to leverage his competitors. In these days of "internet time", the time and money it takes to fight an erronerous patent (as is in this case) could easily overwhelm the company trying to fight and and result in their inability to sucessfully compete. Everyone knows that this patent is garbage and has obvious previous-use behind it. Come on, Jeff. Using this patent it just playing dirty pool and you've already proven you don't need to do that.

Dave "Zoid" Kirsch

Shimpei Yamashita

I have been boycotting your site for some time. My trust in the fundamental value of your company has been badly shaken. I spend *a LOT* of money on books. And I miss your site; you simply do things better than your competition. But not because of stupid, obvious things like One-Click; rather, it is the clever use of data mining and targeted advertisements. I do not like B&N's site as well -- but they and their online competitors get my book money until you back off from this foolishness. You don't need these bullshit patents to survive and prosper. You are making life difficult ON ME and I resent it very much. Sites that I like may not be able to use a trivial technology like 1-click ordering until your spurious patent is overturned, and this infuriates me. I plan to continue boycotting for sixty days to see if you change your mind. If you continue pressing patents for such ridiculously obvious 'inventions' as 1-click and affiliates, I will never patronize your online store again. They boycott will be permanent, regardless of your later actions, and I will strongly recommend the same to others. Your attitude is becoming obvious -- win by any dirty trick available. Do you really want to be remembered that way? Ron Watkins

Ron Watkins

Wing Lee

Justin Mohr

I am a long time Amazon customer, and have been well pleased with their service and products. But frivolous software patents and strongarm lawsuits to protect software are two of my biggest pet peeves. Amazon, if you are serious about having an edge in web commerce, lead the way with inovation and service, not lawyers. Outperform the competition, don't strangle it with a checkbook. Oh, I'm a professional software engineer, so I understand the importance of intellectual property in software.

John Enright

J. L. Woudt

Bernd Dulfer

Geoff Janjua

I have to say that I am disgusted by Amazon's insistence on resorting to collecting frivolous patents in a misguided effort to be more competitive. Such vague and far-reaching patents on concepts such as '1 click shopping' and 'associate programs' undermine the basic advantage of the Internet, openness. So I've decided to put my money where my mouth is and no longer purchase from Amazon.com. Jeff, you have plenty of competitors that I'm sure are dancing in circles these days because of all the negative publicity Amazon.com has made for itself (Chapters springs readily to mind, for example) and who would be more than happy to take my business from you. Be a man (and a mench) and swallow your pride on this one. It's not going to gain you anything in the long run except for the same sort of reputation that Microsoft has built around itself.

Avram Cherry

Steve Pordon

Filip Zawadiak

Ed Farnbauch

Sean Channel

Nathan Walther

Get real amazon.

Brandon Camp

John Krahn

To Jeff Bezos: To protect its competitive position, all Amazon had to do was to publish the specs for 1-Click and the Associates processes used by Amazon. This would preclude anyone else filing for a patent. Then competitive forces, rather than the US Patent Office, would be responsible for the outcome. Filing for a patent, on the other hand, suggests your intention to monopolize certain ecommerce techniques. As the inventor of the term "ecommerce" for the California Legislature in 1984, I could have trademarked the term, I suppose. It would have been equally foolish. Bob Jacobson Redwood City, CA

Bob Jacobson

Timothy Danford

david newman

Frank Fletcher

Nick Barnes, Z’rich, Switzerland.

Obvious things are not ment to be patented.

Janne Liimatainen

Mikko Saari

Small business owner and *former* Amazon customer.

Eric Johnson

When will they stop taking and start giving!

Karl Kopp

There are only two things I have to say. First, even to file for these patents is obscene, full of greed and arrogance, and represents a slap in the face of lots of people who made possible the internet. Who do you think you are? Second, you lost a customer. Kay Schneitz

Kay Schneitz

</i> Amazon has too many competitors to adopt the Microsoft style of business. It won't work for them.

Michael Harder

Thank you Mr. O'Reilly for your support and efforts towards this cause on behalf of technology users and innovators everywhere.

Iain Cox

I've had little reason not to buy from Amazon before, now I do and I won't. I can recommend OneBookStreet to any looking for a book source.

George Van Arsdale

Mr. Bezos: In the last twelve months, I spent 跄.45 at Amazon.com. Until you drop your offensive use of software patents, I will spend my money elsewhere.

Robert T. Huffman

People who want to consider alternatives to Amazon might peek at my list of online bookshops http://www.progsoc.uts.edu.au/~telford/reference/bookshop.html

Telford Tendys

I think we should be asking too who are these guys at the Patent Office who are allowing these obvious "innovations" to go through. Both Amazon and the Patent Office are wrong.

Naju Ventura

As the author or editor for a decade, including for many books sold on Amazon.com, I believe that enforcement of the 1-Click patent is short-sighted and ultimately harmful to all of us in the publishing business--including Amazon.com itself.

J.W. Olsen

Jeff, I've been an admirer of your efforts with Amazon as one of the major players in a successfull deployment of e-Commerce. Your attempt at patenting cookies, a "technology" the Web community have known and used for a long time, is not admirable at all. Please just drop it. It's not worth the bad publicity you'll be receiving.

Per Weisteen

This and other patents, including the ones given to eCash and Stefan Brands (now licensed to Zero Knowledge Systems, exclusivly), are putting an enourmus burden on the on going epansion to the new markets and taking us to a more opne market all over the globe. Hopefully, but not likely, this kinds of patents will be rejected and sent away to the trashcan were they belong.

Per Kangru

It is with a grave heart that I've started to boycott the online bookstore with the best user interface, most comprehensive features and widest selection. Stop the madness! I am a professional software developer and have consistently refused to take part in immoral patent scheming, though my employer offers large financial incentives (granted, to protect ourselves and not for frivolous lawsuits such as yours).

Wouter Cloetens

Tim Conrad

Mark Durham

Kai Puolam„ki

Te-Cheng Shen

I personally have never bought a product as Amazon; however, I am now quite certain that I never will. This abuse of the patent system to destroy competitors is inexcusable. I will continue to by to majority of my books from a physical book store(I like the smell of all the new books, and the enviroment of being able to flip through any book that interests me).

Andrew Parker

Toivo Voll

Toivo Voll

Tim stated the concerns shared by so many of us much more eloquently than I ever could. Rest assured my boycott of Amazon will stay in effect until Amazon realizes the error of their ways. I am still taking every opportunity that presents itself to inform others as to Amazon's practices regarding enforcement of their ill-gained patents. Last years Amazon spending: 񘒘.45 Total spending since the B&N injunction: Ũ.00

Bill Giese

David Karowsky

Rob Sweet

I am very disappointed in Amazon.com. What if one supermarket chain had patented the concept of "put items in a shopping cart and bring it to cashier"? Would all the others have to make their customers hand-carry everything? Amazon's 1-click patent is just petty and mean-spirited, and I will now take my business elsewhere. </I>

Jim Gottlieb

We need more openness in this industry, not aggressive tactics to gain market share and limit innovation. This is the same sort of underhanded game that Microsoft plays so deftly to the detriment of all users of computer software and the internet. This patent should not have been granted. A trademark for "One Click" is even streaching things a bit.

Brennan Hildebrand

This is truly outrageous. I'm sorry, Mr. Bezos, but I cannot lend any form of support to a company willing to sink so low to make a quick buck at the expense of the general public. I sent a couple of books to friends a while back and thought Amazon was pretty cool for a little while, but I won't be doing it again. Not now. Not soon. Not ever. The world doesn't need companies with the ethics that Amazon exhibits.

Jonathan Locke

I first shopped at Amazon.com over 2 years ago. In the past year I have spent ũ,117.40 at your site. I've had to make a conscious effort since last month in boycotting your site because I'm so used to going there... but I can't anymore in good conscience. Hopefully, you'll come to realize soon how foolish this all is. If not, then it saddens me to say that I'm sorry that your software patent is more important than my patronage.

Leonard Lin

Mr. Bezos, I strongly disapprove of your company's ludicrous actions, and the sooner this insane patent is thrown out, the better. For your employees sake, I hope that the firms you have bullied away by brandishing this patent never file suit against you for lost revenues, for I feel they would have a strong case. If it were only you, and any other member of the management who supports this inanity, who would be punished, I would be the first in line to assist in said lawsuit.

Jason Baker

Making use of the community development and ideals is a fine thing to do,it encourages development for the betterment of the web community. However, abusing this, and claim the work of others is wrong, in the strongest sense of the word.

Peter Crystal

I have placed hundreds of dollars worth of orders through Amazon.com over the past few years and have always enjoyed your company's service. The way in which you have used the patent system is inappropriate, however, and I will join the boycott.

Garin Hiebert

I've spent close to ๛ a month at amazon in the past two years. Its too bad that because of thier greed, i'll be forced into going elsewhere.

Jeff Eineke

Look at the size of this page. Get with the PR agency quick, you've got some damage control to perform, Amazon.

Scott W. Hill

Yet another lost customer... pity.

Clay Scott

Amazon is a wonderful place, but I cannot approve of such a ludicrous patent.

J. Robinson

Markus Pihlaja, Finland

Yet another lost potential customer... pity.

Clay Scott

Leo Breebaart

Koen Van den Heuvel

Ronald Parazoo

Bill Bercik

Mark C. Chu-Carroll

Since Amazon has started enforcing patent 5,960,411 I have boycotted their business and will continue as well as encourage others to do the same.

Trevor Bakker

David Himelright

1-click signed ...

Frank Roscher

Hey Mr. Bezos, Fatbrain's going to get all my business till you stop this shit.

Kevin Broch

How dare you use *my* disk space to store your cookies and then have the gall to say that others can't. I would say that should be up to me, wouldn't you? Keep your damn cookies off of my machine!

Scotty Orr

I have been a long time Amazon customer and until this patent issue came up, Amazon was the only online book seller I ordered from. Now it is the only one I won't order from. I hope that they can wake up and see their mis-use of software patents.

Kevin Lilly

I have bought from both Amazon and B&N.com. By experiences with Amazon were very positive. My experiences with B&N.com were not. This had nothing to do with how tough the ordering was, it came to down to customer service. Stop the stupid patents. Open Source is revolutionizing software development.

Paul Rentschler

All I can say is that this is very sad. I had previously thought of Amazon as a great pioneer in web commerce; and I imagined Mr. Bezos to have understanding of the community. Clearly, the 1-Click patent falls under prior art. I sincerely hope Amazon can assume a more friendly position on this issue; I would be more than willing to make my purchases on Amazon rather than Barnes and Noble if I felt that Amazon was more in tune with the technical community.

Jason Clouse

That the patent office granted such a patent shows ignorance which can (hopefully) be overcome with proper education about software. That Amazon submitted such a patent in the first place shows complete disregard for the internet community and adherence to underhanded business practices. I'm certainly going to boycott anything from Amazon and will encourage all friends and co-workers to do the same until the patent is withdrawn and a formal apology is given.

Marty Combs

I vehemently oppose the increasing abuse of the patent system in the technology area. The entire point of patents is to protect your ideas. When patents are used as weapons the whole market suffers, including consumers and, indirectly, the patent holder. Even frivolous patents that won't hold up in court are a weapon because a company has to spend large sums to prove it's frivolity in court. Thus any small competitor is effectivly eliminated from using the patented techniques, regardless of whether they are obvious or previously used.

Seren Thompson

Lisa Mann

Michael Rozynski

Bad, Bad Amazon!

Herb Mathews

Eileen Tso

Jason Pollock

Joe Thomas

Rick Bartels

Michael S. Edwards

Joseph Laudadio

http://www.fatbrain.com

John Bridleman

I will not buy from Amazon because of this patent.

Rachel Sundquist

I will not buy from Amazon because of this patent.

Rachel Sundquist

I couldn't have said it better, Tim!

nan zhang

I am a former Amazon.com faithful. Note the word former.

Thomas Briggs

Come on Jeff, don't be a bozo. You're just losing the respect of your customers.

Ken Spreitzer

Even though I prefer Amazon, I will be ordering my books from Borders and B&N until this patent issue is resolved.

Phillip Toland

Well, I believe Amazon just lost a customer! You're not the only one selling books on the web. bye!

Fredrik Bonde

I am appaled by Amazon's actions. I am the "go to" guy for most of my friends when it come to computer related topics. I now reccomend against using or supporting Amazon due to their stupid attempt(s) to enforce the patents that should not have been granted. A nice quote from the US supreme court: It was never the object of patent laws to grant a monopoly for every trifling device, every shadow of a shade of an idea, which would naturally and spontaneously occur to any skilled mechanic or operator in the ordinary progress of manufactures. Such an indiscriminate creation of exclusive privileges tends rather to obstruct than to stimulate invention. It creates a class of speculative schemers who make it their business to watch the advancing wave of improvement, and gather its foam in the form of patented monopolies, which enable them to lay a heavy tax on the industry of the country, without contributing anything to the real advancement of the arts. It embarrasses the honest pursuit of business with fears and apprehensions of unknown liability lawsuits and vexatious accounting for profits made in good faith. ùU.S. Supreme Court, Atlantic Works vs. Brady, 1882 Hopefully Amazon will learn the wrongs of their ways, and will be forced to pay damages and legal fees for the defendants in any cases they bring forth. --Mahlon Hollway

Mahlon Hollway

I, too, have and will continue to consciously avoid purchasing anything from Amazon.com and actively suggest to others to do the same.

Craig Michael Nathan

Amazon has unfortunately been learning too many lessons from Microsoft. I will no longer buy from Amazon, and urge everyone else I know to do likewise.

Andrea J. Cameron

It is my stated intent not to purchase anything through Amazon.com and to convince people around me until Amazon publicly denounces these abusive practices.

Tom Heynemann

Perhaps next you're going to try and patent "priority shipping" ? Come ON, Amazon, this is an embarrassment to you and a detriment to the web.

C. Alvarez

Due to your abuse of the patent system, I will now choose Fatbrain over Amazon for technical book purchases, and encourage my co-workers to do the same.

Craig McDaniel

I wish Priceline would get a grip, too. What's next - patenting the integration of OE/AR/AP systems with the web? Patenting English auctions? Dutch auctions?

Keith Gibbons

Rick Saenz (Austin, Texas)

Excellent letter Tim! Lets make sure that the web remains an open standard as it is! I stopped ordering from Amazon because of this patent some month ago.

Peter Thoeny

Over the past four years, I have probably spent close to 񘘐 at Amazon.com. Until they reverse their position on this topic, I will not spend another cent with them.

Curt Hagenlocher

I agree with Tim O'Reilly that the patents are ridiculus, and I agree with Richard Stallman that a boycott of Amazon is a good idea. My next order will go to Barnes & Noble.

Anders S. Buch

I have been an Amazon.com customer in the past, but I will no longer be a customer as long as you attempt to enforce your frivolous patents and/or continue to file such patent claims.

J. Allen Crider

I find the attempt to enforce this patent to be an anti-competitive and ungracious business method. Amazon should show some respect and gratitude for the thousands of developers on who's innovation they built their business.

Lawrence Dol

Scott Gasch

I have been a regular and happy Amazon customer, sending large chunks of my disposable income to you for several years, but intend to shop exclusively at your competitors until you drop this conscienceless patent pursuit.

Jay B. Parker

I will no longer purchase (I haven't for some time now) from Amazon. I have always been a loyal O'Reilly customer, and my future O'Reilly purchases will either come from a local shop or directly from the publisher. Thanks for your support here, Tim.

Brian St. Pierre

Amazon had their oposition beaten up down and sideways until they started down this road. Now they are just a site I use to look up ISBNs before I buy elsewhere. That's 1000 quid a year out of their income, and I can't be the only one they have driven away who spends that amount.

Richard Caley

I have been a regular Amazon customer for quite some time. No more. For as long as Amazon continues to abuse the patent system and otherwise acts in a manner I consider irresponsible, I will take my business elsewhere. Guess Amazon better run out and grab that 0-Click shopping patent, because that is what they will be getting from me for the time being ;)

Jim Cole

Amazon used to be well respected for their innovative mix of technology and business. Now they are becoming the laughing stock of the Internet. Come on guys. Tim is speaking more than his mind; it's the truth of how open-source helps everyone out, including you. Why not let the marketplace determine the winner, without having to "stack the deck" in your favor?

Jimmy Sieben

As a software engineer, I find taking someone else's innovation, made freely available by them, and trying to turn it into a proprietary technology, appalling. This is exactly what this "1 click" patent nonsense does with browser cookies. I have purchased dozens of books from amazon in the past. I will not be doing so in the future, unless amazon cleans up its act.

Josh Shepard

I believe you are taking advantage of our patent office with your patents. They are not adequatly equiped to handle the current rush of new technology patents and by slipping one like your "1-Click Shopping" under their eyes, you have taken advantage of something that was originaly created to inspire inovation, not stigmatize it. I am glad to say I have never bought anything from Amazon.com, nor will I.

Logan Hall

I have only been an online shopper for about 6 months now, but Amazon is the one that got me excited about it, and was my favorite. This is NOT because of the 1-click ordering!!! Now that I spend much of my monthly entertainment budget on the web, I am saddened to feel compelled to boycott Amazon,but I never like to reward needless greed and bullying of competitors. Shame! You guys should realize you don't need this stupid patent!

Kelly Hardwicke

Mr. Bezos: Shrewd business move, Mr. Bezos. Look at what you've done now. You upset all these people with your company's selfish decision. Once you have a mad enough audience in the computing world and you have the greater public's eye, you will retract the patent so that you can be the hero and everyone will buy from you again plus some new customers that were lured in. A well thought out way to get free publicity if you ask me...

Kevin Schoenrock

I used to use Amazon often, and I am a co-author of a soon-to-be-published O'Reilly book about web programming that will undoubtedly be sold on Amazon (and guess what, like the previous edition published years ago... it discusses cookies). However, I no longer shop on Amazon and I will encourage anyone who asks about my book to avoid you as well. It will take much more than simply dropping the lawsuit at this point to repair the damage you have done.

Scott Guelich

While I tend not to be activist over issues, I agree that this patent is frivolous and should be overturned. I don't know how much Amazon's business will be affected by customers and potential customers boycotting your service, but can you really afford to take that chance? Besides, I find price and customer service to be far more important than simply reducing two or three mouse clicks to one. As long as you are a leader in those two categories, you won't have anything to fear.

Nevada Hamaker

I strongly agree with this letter. The Internet was built through the good-faith efforts of government, engineers, and hobbyists. The shameless "corporatism" being revealed by companies like Amazon is more than just an insult to those who have built the Internet; it impedes future net development. I hope that Amazon either recognizes the ill-will that their FUD tactics promote, or pays the consequences. On principle, I will not buy Amazon products until they start acting like responsible netizens...

Alan Stein

A warning to Bezos: Revolution When people have nothing more to lose, Then revolution will result. Do not take away their lands, And do not destroy their livelihoods; If your burden is not heavy then they will not shirk it. The sage maintains himself but exacts no tribute, Values himself but requires no honours; He ignores abstraction and accepts substance. -Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching In other words, focus on being of substance, and do not try to exact tribute (do not enforce these patents), for then we will have nothing to lose and it will lead to a revolution against you.

Moxie

I would like to register my strong opposition to your company's patenting trivial and obvoius applications of web technology, as exemplified by the one-click and partners program patents. The fact that the patent office is willing to grant these patents does not mean that they are are beneficial, ethical or that they will stand up in court. Amazon in its attempts to monopolize e-commerce by patenting the obvoius stands to ruin its good name and become the new nemesis of many not because of market share, but because of its odoius business practices.

Jonathan Caplan

I agree with the content of the open letter crafted by O'Reily. Your patent-wielding of such obvious prior art is akin to the monopolistic and abusive practices of Microsoft. Why do corporations think that they have to be immoral to compete and to think that they can act immorally until they get caught? Perhaps if enough people cared to make you feel it in the wallet, you'd think twice. I am but one man, but I can assure you that, as a previous customer of Amazon.com's I am not presently. You have destroyed an good-will that you may have had with this previous customer!

Don Bivens

I had actually ordered a book from Amazon and have cancelled the order because of your patent practices. I reorded this book through Barnes and Noble (bn.com) immediately after cancelling my order with Amazon. I order books on-line at least a couple of times a month, and until your position on patents is reversed, these orders will be exclusively through bn.com and half.com. Greetings from Amazon.com! You have successfully cancelled your order #103-2750320-9959806 For your reference, here is a summary of your order: Order #103-2750320-9959806 - placed February 20, 2000 at 11:57 AM PST Status: CANCELLED - on February 28, 2000 at 06:33 AM PST

Brian Keen

This situation illustrates two important points. 1. The patent authorities have only a fraction of the knowledge required to handle modern information technology and software patents. It should be easier to stop the patenting of ideas that are already in common use. 2. I recently attended a symposium where Jeff Bezos was one of the keynote speakers. Jeff was enthusiastically talking about being customer centric and ôfocusing on the customer, not the competitorsö. This statement becomes relatively funny when Amazon.com resorts to attacking their competitors through dubious patents rather than focusing on increasing service to the customers. Apparently Amazon needs to become much more afraid of their customers!

Mathias Dybvik

Jeff, I'm dissapointed...I was one of Amazon.com's earlier customers (I wish I still had the sticker from the banana that your booth babe handed out at one of your first trade show appearances). Over the years, I have spent not hundereds but THOUSANDS of dollars at your site. Many of these purchases have been technical manuals, and music to listen to whilst employing them. I'm sure the same can be said for a sizeable chunk of your customer base. Having said that...it's on to Fatbrain.com for me. And CDNow or any other online retailers. I've also noticed a very recent and marked deterioration of your fulfillment operations and customer service. Jeff, the way to keep market share is NOT to cut these while making yourself "the only game in town" in an industry, ala' Microsoft. As already stated, none of the recent patent motions by your company are likely to hold up in court in the long run. The only thing that you'll get out of this is lost sales and a bad reputation.

Jen Runne

Sandy Blyth

Michael McDuffie

Kenneth Wong

Kevin Ring

Paul Davis

Kenneth Topp

Glenn Barnett

Jeff Uphoff

Matthew Theobald

Ludicrous patents have been part of the software industry for too long. A patent on 1-click, if not the winner for chutzpah, is surely a leading contender. David Wilczynski President, Pacific Software Solutions

David Wilczynski

Magni Ons°ien

Hey, this is EVIL amazon.

Brian Wolfe

Thomas Scoville

I agree with Tim. This patent is ridiculas !!!!

Arturo Bialas

Amazon. I think you have just sealed your own coffin

Mark Shelly

I will not buy anything in Amazon, and I will tell my friends not to do it.

Mauricio Rivera

Pick your battles carefully, Amazon. Surely this one is not worth the cost.

Joseph L. Jones

Amazon, drop the patent strategy. I will boycott you until you do.

Michael Please

I just spent โ at CDNow and Barnes & Noble. I put my money where my mouth is. :)

Paul Schreiber

These patents are ridiculous and will stifle the web. Please consider storing them in the wastebasket.

Damon Clinkscales

echo Bezos | tr "es" "o " This patenting of ideas that are trivial is a pox on humanity.

Kerry Liles

I do not shop at Amazon anymore. Your patent on One-Click Shopping is as fraudulent as patenting tying one's shoes.

June Kontvis-Bell

In truth, the actions of Amazon.com violate the spirit and the rules of the WWW - rules that were once known by all who frequented this space.

Michael Lautman

As a multi-year Amazon.com customer, I really regret your destructive software patent strategy. I will take my business elsewhere until it changes.

Rob Campbell

I stopped shopping at Amazon when they started selling toys and home improvement articles. Now I will ask my friends and associates to shop only at Barnes and Noble.

Gary J. Antonetti

used to by all my programming books and others at amazon. Have taken business elsewhere - will not be back until patents are dropped

alan macdonald

This is crap. I've used Amazon almost exclusively for online purchases, but I won't put up with this blatant patent misuse. I'll take my e-business elsewhere.

David Bender

While I have ordered items from Amazon in the past, I will no longer do so and I will encourage my colleagues to also discontinue business with Amazon due to the ridiculous nature of this patent.

Duane Healing

(My first submission disappeared, and with it my comments. This site has obviously had some traffic today ;-) I heartily agree with Tim O'Reilly's letter.

Henning Strandin

Laurie Trindle Gennari

Software patents are bad, mmkay? Especially when there is quite a bit of prior art. At this rate, Amazon, you will lose all of your customers, and *NEVER* turn a profit! :)

Adam Muntner

It's hard to imagine Jeff B. keeping a straight face explaining that while "he believes the patent process can sometimes be abused, he believes that this is not the case with Amazon's 1-Click patent."

Noah Booth

Amazon.com Dear Jeff, with this patent application you have become: First in e-commerce innovation First in taking over a common resource First in the hearts of what NetCitizens don't want. Phillip Knowlton

phillip knowlton

I have been boycotting Amazon since October and I hope that this petition will finally bring Amazon to its senses. Amazon's myopia will only bring them down in the long run and ruin what is a truly great ecommerce site. Matt

Matt Midboe

Thank you, Tim. I totally agree with everthing that you wrote in your column. This patent that Amazon is trying to get is frivolous at best and offensive at worst. Hopefully, they will soon understand the magnitude of their folly. Thanks.

Colin DeLong

"pissing in the well". I agree. I was disapointed by Amazon's response to my e-mail saying I was going to shop somewhere else while they pursued this patent; they believed the error was in my confusion, not in their behavior.

mike hemming

This is a patent that should be swiftly overturned as blatantly obvious. In the meantime, I will be spending my online dollars anywhere but Amazon. Once Amazon has ceased trying to patent the obvious, then they'll go back on my vendor list.

Michael Llaneza

Amazon, you underestimate the consumer and are not in a position to act as a monopoly. You are risking consumer hatred without any exclusivity on the book market. Very silly. I am also participating in the boycott, and am recommending my friends and family do the same.

Marco Bianco

While I have and will continue to applaud Amazon's creativity and innovation, this idea of patenting ideas that aren't really theirs to begin with is ludicrous at best and downright dangerous to the continued "open" structure of the Internet at worst. Please stop the madness before it's too late.

Frederic Woodbridge

It's pretty obvious that most people boycotting do, in fact, like the Amazon web site. Unfortunately, our hand has been forced by ridiculous business practices. If Lotus and Apple can't protect large, complicated applications and operating systems via the patent system, what gives you any hope this ridiculous One-click patent will hold up?

Sam Yates

Mr. Bezos, I don't have anything to add to Tim O'Reilley's argument, but I can tell you that I completely support the Amazon boycott. I won't be shopping at Amazon until the patent is dropped, and I will be asking my friends to order from your competitors as well. Please re-think your position. You're biting the hand that feeds you.

Kirk Rafferty

As a teacher I used to recommend Amazon to my students as a place to buy books. I can no longer do this. I am telling them to support this boycott. Placing patents on ideas drawn from Open Source software is dubious and morally wrong. You are taking advantage of bad laws to patent trivial uses of other people's ideas. You can't own the web and you can't own e-commerce. Bill Beaver

Bill Beaver

I've been an Amazon supporter since the beginning. When B&N opened their web site by filing a frivolous lawsuit against them I vowed never to use or recommend B&N and never have. What Amazon is doing now with this joke "patent" is just as bad. Unless Amazon reverses this - I'll buy elsewhere whenever possible and incourage everyone I know to do the same. Do the right thing and change this now.

Dusty Nidey

I used to be an amazon customer, a very happy one in fact. After hearing this rather devious and inherently evil action, I've chosen to personally boycott your site, even before RMS's call to action. Your a book and media seller, what are you doing patenting web technology? Your very own patent works against the very business model that you started under, the small business! Please, don't become yet another member of the pack of Evil Empires residing here in Seattle.

Ryan Whitney

I've been using Amazon's services for quite some time now, and though my contributions to your bottom-line would be considered miniscule relative to the number of people who purchase at Amazon, I still feel like I have spent a considerable amount with Amazon over the years. I've done this because of the convenience, the broad selection, and to be honest the great customer service. However, as of now, because of your enforcement of your 1-Click patent my purchases with you will stop. Please reconsider your stand on this issue.

Bren Smith

There is no doubt that Amazon.Com has spent a lot of effort in building its highly sophisticated web site. But your success and failure in the long run will have nothing to do with your sole possession of a technology as trivial as "1-Click Ordering". It is a great convenience for your customers, but hardly a make-or-break proposition. Amazon's customers most appreciate its selection and service and are not going to switch to Barnes & Noble because they suddenly have 1-click ordering as well. You will gain more goodwill by backing off the patent than you will by being the "Only Site With 1-Click Ordering"

Michael Ross

I still recall the rainy night when driving home from work I listed to an interview with Jeff Bezos on Fresh Air. Ditched the plans to grab a beer and went home to check out this online bookstore. Loved what I saw. Since then I've purchased hundreds of dollars of books each year through Amazon.com for my technical library, for gifts, for whatever. None of this would have been possible without the technical contributions and collaborations of the web community. With these software patents Amazon.com is attempting to stifle the flow of technological lifeblood that nurished their online womb. Hopefully either the patent office or Amazon.com will not allow this to continue. Until then the business nurishment of my spending will flow elsewhere.

Michael Rasmussen

I find it disheartening that a company would try to lay claim to practices and knowledge that was born out of their own labors. I sincerely hope such blatant acts of thievery and Bill Gates style land grabbing will not be tolerated by the public or upheld in a court of law. Until Amazon.com ceases in this endeavor I will not patron them my business.

Brian Kohl

I myself have participated in patents filed for defensive reasons, but in using patents merely to squash the competition, Amazon is pissing in the well once they have had their fill. What particularly offends me is the notion that Amazon is protecting *their* innovations. I myself worked on one-click shopping (not implemented due to customers' unfamiliarity with online shopping in 1997) and affiliate program tracking via unique identifiers in URLs (implemented and still in use). And in the case of affiliate programs, I was learning techniques from looking at parameter passing via URLs as implemented by others. This kind of cross-fertilization is the only reason that the web exists. I cannot believe, Mr. Bezos, that you are so blinded arrogance that you cannot see the work that others have done before you. Patents and the legal system exist to further competion, not prevent it, Mr. Bezos, and your obligation to your shareholders neither entitles you nor requires you to knowingly abuse the patent system and legal system in the name of gutting the competition. The end result might be that you gut the web itself, cut off the true sources of innovation, and kill the boom in prosperity you so richly enjoy. As a member of the internet development community, I urge Amazon to cease their destructive policies now.

Jason Thaxter

To: Amazon.com c/o Jeff Bezos Dear Amazon, You're Fired. As several previous communications from your employers (aka customers) have pointed out, Blatant abuse of the technologies that put Amazon.com where it is today is not acceptable behavior. Despite several clear communications regarding this matter, Amazon.com has continued to flagrantly engage in these practices. We therefore, regretfully, find it necessary to terminate your employment. You may now take your place in the unemployment line behind etoys.com. Thank you.

Sean Clark

Ben De Rydt

Cheryl Short

Jacqueline Clark

Kim Scott

I agree...

Schoenmaekers Raf

Gary Nutbeam

Roberto Trevino

Chris Mangum

Greg Glover

Andrew Deckowitz

Keep open standards open Jeff - you will have only yourself to blame when innovation is stifled and your business takes a nosedive as a result.

Maru Newby

Jes”s Reynaga

Patently mad. Goodbye amazon.

JohnK

Barnes and Noble just got a new customer.

David Wolfe

I will join the boycott.

Ben Abraham

Ever heard of One-Click Bankruptcy (~TM)? ;-)

Paul Miniato

Time to re-read Aesop's Fable about the dog with the bone...

Monique Reed

I refuse to buy books through Amazon due solely to the patent issues.

James Farley

I wholeheartedly agree. Amazon has great service but they have lost my business.

kent davis

I haven't purchased anything from amazon.com since mid December of '99.

Jeremy Hankins

I no longer buy at Amazon, I informed them of my decision, and I urge anyone I know to do the same.

Ori Pessach

The patent is absurd, enforcing it is even worse. I will not be supporting Amazon in any way until it reverses its decisions.

Bruce Beyeler

I've been directing people to Barnes and Noble or Fatbrain for some time...down with proprietary primadonnas!

Peter Burris

I too will not be buying any more books from Amazon solely because of Amazon's abuse of the patent system. BarnsandNoble.com, here I come.

Robert Spotswood

I've used the Amazon.co.uk site a few times when I've needed books, but I won't be going back while Amozon is behaving like this.

Alexa M. Robinson

As a previous user of amazon.com, I hope that you will stop your abuse of the Patent system, so I can once again use your site.

Warren E. Downs

Amazon is a bad citizen of the net. I have joined the boycott, and have successfully urged technical people not to join Amazon's staff.

Elizabeth Parish

Totally ridiculous to allow an open Web technology to be owned and controlled by one entity. The Patent people need to open their eyes.

Peter Andersen

Give me a break, Jeff! To file the patent is one thing, but to actually claim that it is valid is embarrassing to you and the entire Internet community!!!

Michael T. Williams

This is absolutely ridiculous and I will be adding my name to the already length list of those who will be boycotting Amazon until they give up on this patent.

Douglas Simon

A blantant attempt to squash fair competetion, shame on you Amazon! I WILL NOT use your site or any of your affiliates as long as you pursue such actions. SFT

Stuart Trimbath

A blantant attempt to squash fair competetion, shame on you Amazon! I WILL NOT use your site or any of your affiliates as long as you pursue such actions. SFT

Stuart Trimbath

What an absolutely stupid and arrogant attitude. I will refuse to purchase anything from Amazon until this changes.

Desh Sharma

A blantant attempt to squash fair competetion, shame on you Amazon! I WILL NOT use your site or any of your affiliates as long as you pursue such actions. SFT

Stuart Trimbath

I used to patronize the Amazon.com web site, and recommend it to friends and family. I can no longer in good conscience shop on your site, and I will encourage my friends and family to use other resources.

John Straw

I am now a very satisfied customer of borders.com and barnesandnoble.com. Too bad for you. I also have many friends, colleagues and family that have stopped or will not start buying from Amazon. Those who live by the sword...

Peter Hull

What a nasty bout of hubris. Amazon has changed the face of commerce forever -- I wish you took your responsibilities as trendsetter more seriously. It's not just about your company -- the world watches you.

Amy O'Hair

I will not be buying anything at Amazon until they stop this abuse of the patent law. I also will make sure that the managers of the mutual funds I own (and which contain Amazon stock) are made aware of the backlash building up against Amazon.

Eric Simms

This patent is sad, and has only been granted through the inadequacy of the US patent system when it comes to technology patents. I would urge you to please relinquish your patents, on the basis of prior art. Amazon is a really great site. Don't do damage to yourself like this.

T. Thatcher

I have purchased a large number of books through Amazon.com in the past, and in general your service has always been excellet. However, I find it hard to take seriously the claim that "1-click Shopping" represents an innovation worthy of patent protection.

Kevin J. Brennan

FWIW: Barnes And Noble is probably a /worse/ choice as an alternative. Their business practices involve driving out competition in local markets. Support your local retailer - or someone else's local retailer, like Powells, Wordsworth or others. They can all order anything.

JB Segal

May a thousand fleas infect your armpits and may your pile of monopoly money be reduced to nothing more than the elaborate hoax you are trying to perpetrate on the Internet community at large. I am supporting a boycott of amazon.com and any affiliate thereof.

Matthew Snyder

An IT friend of mine told me that O'Reilly books are the best source for learning or referencing computer technology and that Amazon was a good place to order from. Now I will have to check back with him to see where the IT field will be purchasing from... and me.

Carl Kristoffersen

www.spree.com, www.fatbrain.com, www.borders.com, www.barnesandnoble.com and others will be getting my business in the future. Jeff, with all respect to your innovative marketing, alienating many of your best customers and partners is demolishing any chance you might have had at profitibility.

William Harris

Until Amazon relents and cancels their attempt to patent "1-click ordering" and smilar patents of existing technology, I will boycott their service. I will instead patronize their competition and other companies that demonstrate through their actions and good-spirited participation in the Internet community. Adam Klein

Adam Klein

The amazon patent is just purely abuse. It's very easy to spread the bad-word at Universities, so I urge everyone in school to tell a friend about amazon's rediculous stance; maybe even take out a small ad or write a quick letter to the editor in the school newspaper. After all, we are their current and future consumers.

Scott Fritzinger

As long as you stick with this ridiculous patent policy, I will choose your competitors over you for all my online purchases. I hope you will rapidly realize that the long-term losses resulting from a bad public image largely outweigh the short-term advantage this kind of patent might give you over your competitors, temporarily.

Pascal Vincent

I have been using Amazon since early 1997. Since Amazon started keeping track of my orders in late 1997, I have spent 񘋌 in books and music from that service alone, much of it while i was a student. However, brand loyalty only goes so far. thanks for the coffee mug last Christmas. I have a ฟ gift certificate on my desk I would like to return. Good bye.

Rachel Walls

I will be buying specifically from those companies that are being attacked under this patent (e.g. Barnes & Noble) until this stupidity ends.

Henk Hesselink

I've been an Amazon customer in the past, but I won't be so again until you stop bludgeoning competition and innovation by trying to monopolize a simple idea. What you're doing flies in the face of the open internet spirit that gave birth to your business, and I think it's a slap in the face to all of your customers. You don't need this to compete--stop using software patents!

Steven G. Johnson

These patents are an insult to the technology industry and, more specifically, the nature of the Internet. The advancement of the industry in general will be _severely_ hampered if Amazon continues on its current course. As such, until these practices are stopped, I will no longer conduct any business with amazon.com, and I will urge all of my family, friends, and colleagues to do the same.

Andrew Zajkowski

I am a regular buyer at Amazon.com and a receiver of many of your emails. I *do* agree with RMS and will promptly remove myself from all mailings, remove my wish list, and refrain from buying at Amazon.com until they come to their senses. The patent office is rife with abuse over software technology and 1000 lb gorillas like Amazon.com just make it worse. Jonathan Arnold

Jonathan Arnold

I used to be a regular Amazon customer. Because of this patent nonsense I have taken thousands of dollars of my business to Fatbrain (http://www.fatbrain.com/) and DVD Express (http://www.dvdexpress.com)! I am in no way affiliated with either business. I will continue to boycott any organization that exploits the ignorance of the US patent office in such a flagrant manner!

Dr. Johannes Ruscheinski

This has got to stop. I'm sure that lawyer and business types consider patents like this as just "part of the game", but this particular game is wrong. I've bought a few things from Amazon before, but I'm going to look harder at alternatives now. If I ever hear of you trying to enforce this patent against a competitor, then that competitor will almost certainly be getting my business, as a show of support.

Barry Pederson

These patents do little more than make Amazon look ridiculous as it bites the very hand that has made it a success. If other money-hungry companies follow and begin patenting other basic methods of doing business online, it will not be long before we see the day that the independent retailer can no longer compete online. And we will have Amazon to thank for it. Honestly, Mr. Bezos. What were you thinking?

Kevin Murphy

There are plenty of high quality web sites who sell everything you do, for comparable prices and customer service. And they don't resort to insane patent disputes to keep their business. Maybe you've heard of them; the competition, they're who will be getting my business from now on.

Jeramia Ory

Why aren't we sending an even more strongly-worded message to the morons at the Patent Office? I don't think it's right to protest against amazon.com : it's not gonna stop the rest of the dot-coms from abusing the system. Protesting to the law-makers and the Patent office as voters is a better long-term solution. Why isn't anybody getting the Patent Office to comment on their incompetence in reviewing prior art?

Mittal Monani

I wholeheartedly agree with R. Stallman³s feelings, and Tim O³Reilly³s considerations. Amazon³s patent goes against the spirit of the internet. Such bully tactic³s may appeal to a stock-oriented management but are inherently a treason to the medium that in first place gave them the opportunity to make a nice business. For the time being I will buy all my O Reilly books from www.ora.com and shift to Barnes&Noble for the rest.

Enrique Lemus Rodriguez

Mr Bezos, It would appear that your accolades as Time Magazine's "Man of the Year" were misplaced. Either that, or they have gone to your head. Be aware that you have begun to tread upon dangerous ground. While customers have placed their loyalty in your business, it may just as easily be placed in the hands of your less greedy competitors. After all, another website is just "1-Click" away from yours. I will not be shopping with you until you eliminate this incredibly short-sighted and greed-infested patent.

John Gleisner III

The ability to abuse the system does not make it moraly right. Amazon should carfully consider the impact, not just now, but for the future, of absorbing other people's work as their own. In education, such practice is called plagerism. Enforcing, nay, even having these patents will have long term effects upon the internet, and technological innovation. In short, the customer will speak with his dollar, and my money will no longer support Amazon.com.

Cary Mathews

You are obviously offensively using the patent system to gain market share. I will no longer buy books from Amazon because of this. You advisors are surely telling you, as I have heard before that patents are one of the things people look for when investing in a company, but you need to invent something first. These patents you are describing are just uses of things that have already been used and created. It's nonsense and I won't stand for it as a consumer. I'm going to buy from your competitors. Sincerly, Eric M Gibson

Eric Gibson

I recently purchased ~ 贄 more in books from Amazon. Just after that, I started reading about these absurd patents. I personally used (coded) cookie-based one-click systems 5+ years ago. The bottom line: I nearly cancelled my order, and will neither browse, nor purchase anything from the amazon.com website until they cease their destructive behavior. Sincerely, Noah Fiedel

Noah Fiedel

I have been a regular customer of Amazon since its inception, and a strong supporter of its business approach. However, Amazon appears to have given in to the terrible and soul-eroding temptation of greed, and lost any sense of proportion or, apparently, decency. The 1-Click and "Associates" patents are both absurd on their face. While it is true that they both suggest the patent law is in dire need of being drastically revised, the fact that Amazon chose to abuse a system ripe for abuse does not reflect well on Amazon either.

David Link

Open standards and processes are the foundation of the environment in which your business operates: The Internet. By refusing to honor the spirit of cooperation and mutual benefit that created your market you sadden, dissappoint, and anger your (in my case former) customers. I submit that it is more advantageous in the long run to maintain the widespread grassroots energy of the internet and the goodwill of its users than it is to shut bn.com out of the christmas shopping season with an offensive (in both senses of the word) patent suit.

Michael Jurney

The Patent system was designed to support patents of the design of physical products that must then be produced. The idea of a patent separates the "designer" from the "producer", and protects the former's monetary investment in a new design from someone else who can copy the product. In the software field, all programming is "design;" only the binary copying equates to "producing." We already have an adequate if overzealous copyright law relating to software copying; if the patent system is applied to software, then every program in the world should have its own patent.

Ted Spence

Doing business in such a way as to harm others in the same market is no better than stealing. Good business is done by offering something that no one else currently has, or by offering better quality or service. These are the kind of things I look for in a business. I feel that you are abusing the use of a patents by patenting something that would hinder further development of the Internet, and that being 1-Click Ordering. This should be open for developers and other businesses to use freely. I might not boycot Amazon because of this, but Amazon has lost my loyalty, and in the future I will shop elsewhere unless Amazon is my only or last resort.

Matt Johnson

Totally disturbing that Amazon, up until now such a clean organization, would violate both the intent of the patent process (by depending on the ignorance of the examiners) and the ethics of the Internet community. My reason for buying from Amazon rather than B&N up until now stems from B&N's own history of questionable business practices (intentionally destroying independent booksellers and the like). However, there's always Borders.... I wonder if the open computing community could set up an arrangement where the community as a whole could become affiliated with Amazon's competitors, and funding generated in this way for free software development. Further, could the GPL be amended to give rights to everyone _except_ those on a patent abuse blackhole list?

Whit Blauvelt

I am an Amazon Associate, which means that I direct people to the Amazon site on books that I've read and recommend. I can not continue this practice any longer in good conscience. Instead I will start pointing my readers at other online sites. Since I probably make less than โ/year in "referral fees" I don't this going to hurt Amazon nor me very much (except for the inconvenience of reworking the web site). If M. Bezos and his bevy of lawyers want to make a positive contribution to the Internet that made his business so successful, he should keep this patent and others, but give away licenses to use them for free. That way noone else can try to control the technology. Acquiring patents is an expensive and time consuming task that no volunteers has the resources nor the will to pursue. On the other hand, if the open source community is to survive, it must protect its "intellectual capital" from hoarding by others.

Ken Mayer

Mr. Bezos: I am the webmaster and primary content author of a small website for fans of literature, photography, and music. While my site could potentially bring a number of dedicated readers to Amazon.com (I link to many booksellers and music stores online each week), I have chosen instead to prominently display my official position on Amazon.com (which coincides with Mr. O'Reilly's), linked to Richard M. Stallman's call for a boycott of Amazon.com, and taken much effort to find alternative sources of books and music online to encourage people not to patronize your business. I will continue to vocalize my position against Amazon.com and encourage my readership to seek alternative sources of books and music until Amazon.com officially states that it has reversed its policy on WorldWide Web patents, at which time I will encourage my readers to show support for your decision by purchasing books and music from you. I look forward to seeing such an announcement from you soon.

L. D. Steiner

I doubt that I can express my disgust with Amazon's business practices more eloquently than Tim O'Reilly, other than to say that I am yet another heavy purchaser of books in general and technical books in particular who boycots Amazon.com and encourages others to do so as well. As to the rediculousness of the patent, the simple fact that I can explain it to non-technical web users in under a minute is clear evidence that "trivial" is about the kindest thing that can be said about it. To take the fruits of the Gift Economy and pervert them as Amazon has done is the height of disrespect for all those who contribute real innovation and intellectual capital to the world. To Amazon, I tell you that I have cost you marketshare and will continue to do so for as long as you persist. When people consider purchasing on-line, they ask the opinion of people like myself, and when I tell them to use bn.com or fatbrain.com, they do. By offending the technical opinion leaders of the world, Amazon has most definitely created a severe long-term problem in the pursuit of short-term gains. -Chandler Howell

Chandler Howell

As a professional in the computer field(s), I feel compelled to comment on Amazon's actions. My position may, in-fact, be unique, because I work for a subsection of a company that does prepress book publishing. I am a software developer, have been a web developer, and a system administrator. I believe that most people don't understand the significance of the software patent problem until they've worked in/been exposed to the field for some time. (Please see the league for programming freedom -- http://lpf.ai.mit.edu/ -- for more information on how damaging these patents can be. It's too much to cover here.) What we're dealing with at Amazon may be just that -- someone who doesn't understand. That said, I can not condone, or permit Amazon to continue along this course of action with any real or imagined support from myself. It really does not matter whether the people at amazon lack understanding, or simply lack morality. Any online book purchases I may have made from Amazon will go to Barnes & Noble until this is resolved favourably. If this is resolved, and Amazon's patent is upheld, I'll not be shopping with Amazon again. I want to make that clear. This protest will last as long as Amazon enforces the patent, and not just until the legal trouble is over. I will do my best not only to refrain from buying things from Amazon, but to refrain from using any Amazon services during this time. I know somebody who sells things on zshop, and I'll be purchasing them directly from him rather than through zshop, for instance. I'll also display a bias against any institution which chooses to associate itself with Amazon. The only way for Amazon to redeem themselves at this point is to release all claims on this patent. Anything else is most likely unacceptable.

Christopher Smith

Ed French

M. Buendia

Brad Parker

Roger Eberhart

Derek Richardson

David Jao

Bill Redmond

Matthew Zeier

David Reiss

Justin Lessler

Bill McKinnon

I fully support the message behind this letter, and, as a loyal customer, truly believe it is in Amazon's best interest to comply.

Nick Burling

Jeffrey Hulten

Just too greedy. You'll fail.

Weigen

Just too greedy. You'll fail.

Weigen

Just too greedy. You'll fail.

Weigen

Einar Fl°ystad D°rum

Stella Fabiane

I'm disgusted.

Benjamin Turner

You can't be serious. The joke is over. Give it up, Jeff.

Matt Long

Amazon.com is a great convenience, but I'm done doing business with them... this patent is ludicrous.

Mike Lewis

I have to agree with the sentiment. I've quit buying from Amazon because of this.

Richard Vasquez

I'm going to be even happier about the O'Reilly books that I'll be buying - somewhere other than Amazon.

Tracy Atteberry

I've never purchased from Amazon. I plan to make that a policy in my home, and to encourage others to do the same.

Eli Vaughan

Tim pretty much said it all -- you are hurting the entire industry with this sort of behaviour.

Jonathan Kift

Please don't exploit the poorly-run patent infrastructure that made the mistake of granting these patents.

Todd Hutchinson

A former Amazon employee: given my opposition to ludicrous software patents, it would have been hypocritical to stay.

Dave Carrigan

Mr. Bezos, do you really want history to remember Amazon, and you personally, as a bully, rather than an innovator?

Benjamin Leidner

I agree with the letter and ask that you stop this use of patents. Until you do so, I will not shop or recommend that others shop at your store. VO

Vince Outlaw

Amazon is a bad citizen of the net. I have joined the boycott, and have successfully urged technical people not to join Amazon's staff.

Elizabeth Parish

I love Amazon and have ordered many products from you- last winter I had an Amazon Xmas. Don't blow it by becoming hated. Continue the good work.

Robin Hankin

I have ceased buying from Amazon.com and am encouraging my friends and family to do likewise. Your exploitation of the USPO's ignorance is breathtakingly unconscionable.

Nicole Carlson

I will also take my business elsewhere until Amazon gives up trying to enforce these ridiculous patents. We thought you were the good guys. Were we wrong?

Glen Henshaw

I found this letter just after purchasing a CD from an Amazon competitor. I would have preferred to buy from Amazon, but I won't while this ridiculous patent in force.

Jim Hague

I don't like anyone messing with the integrity of computers and the internet. Nobody is more powerful than an irate mass of consumers, so take heed, Amazon. Play by the rules of the internet.

Patrick Draper

Mr. Bezos, because of Amazon's frivolous patent filings, Borders.com earned my business. You have contributed to my research on both more friendly policies and on lower prices. Thank you.

Michael S. Keller

I bought one O'Reilly book on Linux from Amazon. Hope I can find another vendor to buy the second edition. I don't want to buy anything about GNU from vendor that Richard Stallman boycotts.

Rafal Michalski

I have been an Amazon customer for more than 4 years. Even though I like to support local companies, and several friends work or have worked for Amazon, I will not support Amazon until they drop their 1-click patent.

Aki Namioka

I've bought from Amazon in the past, but will not do so again until this patent abuse issue has been resolved. If Amazon will play dirty with its competition, I hope customers will realize that they are the ones to get hurt in the end.

Tom Lofgren

There was once a fellow named Bezos Who promised to sue the bejeezus Out of anyone who With means that WEREN'T NEW Tried with one-click orders to please us! I resent that, and will boycott you until you cease to hold this aggressive position.

Sean Callanan

It seems like Amazon has forgotten one of the rules to keep a good business going: Don't get [too] greedy! ... While my โ or ์ worth of book may not make a big difference, let's see what happens if everyone who's signed here buys their books somewhere else...

Luis Orozco

I was a loyal customer of Amazon in the past. Due to their absurd patent applications, I can no longer deal with Amazon in good faith. Until Amazon backs away from their attempts to make the Internet their own private marketplace, I will take my business elsewhere.

Stan Melton

I've enjoyed doing business with Amazon over the past three years believing them to be an asset to the net and considered them a merchant I could trust. However, after reading Tim O'ReillyÆs "one click" article, I've decided my loyalty was misplaced. I will be more careful in the future.

Frank Lea

Competition, not protectionism, is what has made our economy strong. While true innovations should be encouraged and rewarded, patenting trivial reuses of technology should result in penalties commensurate to the time and energy wasted in establishing and subsequently challenging them.

Paul Mineiro

Since Amazon has attempted to enforce this patent I have stopped purchasing from Amazon. I have also urged others not to shop from Amazon with success. I will not purchase from Amazon and will discourage others from doing so until Amazon relents from attempting to enforce the "1-Click" and the "Associates" patent.

Mark Menard

The intent of the internet is not to stifle your compitition by abuse of the patent office with trivial and obvious extensions of existing technologies, or to bog down rivals with lawsuits. I can not support your business until you support and respect the community that gave you the opportunity to have such a venture.

Dusty Jones

I am lending my voice to this cause as well. I will be taking my dollars elsewhere until the patent issues are resolved. I will also be encouraging family, friends, and colleagues to do the same. Additionally, I encourage O'Reilly to stop shipping books to Amazon until a satisfactory outcome has been reached.

Michael S. Lewis

I've already written back to Amazon in response to a marketing e-mail they sent me informing them that I would no longer shop there while they pursued this ridiculous patent on a toy technology. I was given a patronizing response indicating that Amazon was aware of a significant amount of confusion regarding their patent litigation. The confusion is inside the gates, not outside. Stop this ludicrous litigious onanism. Innovate, don't litigate.

Brian Sletten

As a computer professional and a believer in freedom, Amazon's attempts to stifle innovation and restrict the Web disgust me. A patent on the associates program? Business associates and alliances are older than the US PTO! I will not be buying anything from Amazon until they become a merchant worthy of my money. And I will make sure everyone I know understands just how slimy they're being.

Kai MacTane

I completely agree with Tim. Amazon provides a very good service. I had no problems and I gave Amazon.com a lot of my business up until Christmas, the whole patent issue came up and I decided to join RMS's ban on Amazon. Barnes & Noble's online store got my business that season and most of my purchases were books of one order or another. There are other book, music, electronics, movie sites on the web. See <http://www.noamazon.com> for some.

Steve Lamb

In addition to relying on the good will of consumers, Amazon should also take note of the fact that it is still losing money and is relying on investors to keep itself solvent. As public opinion grows against Amazon's unethical patenting processes a public boycott serves to further endanger the interest of their investors. In short, they should stop spending their time and effort on frivolous lawsuits over their patents and instead go back to what they're good at - selling books.

Jeanette Johnston

This is truly unfortunate. The Patent Office has become nothing less than a rubber stamp generator for incredibly greedy people. Between patenting of gene sequences (Jeez!!!!) and obviously frivilous patents such as this, the whole Patent issuing process has to be over-hauled or scrapped. I can only hope that some one at the Patent Office will have their light bulb turned on eventually. (P.S. We were doing browser state-management for Web-based applications developed around '94 and '95. We have source-code archives kicking around somewhere.)

Gerard Hynes

I have purchased thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from Amazon, but I am so outraged by their clueless, anti-Internet, parasitic behavior that I stopped buying from Amazon several months ago. Adding up my purchases from Buy.com and Borders -- purchases I researched first at the Amazon site, before switching over to their competitors to place my actual orders -- I see that I have spent 躲 in the past 3 months that would ordinarily have gone to Amazon. I would prefer to buy from Amazon, but cannot in good conscience support them until they begin to act responsibly.

Walter Purvis

While i always enjoyed shopping at amazon i dont anymore

Arne Hueggenberg

I was an Amazon.com customer long before they became the giant that they are now. I'm saddened and ashamed that they have chosen this path, and I sincerely regret that I can no longer support them or recommend them to others, at least until they back away from this ridiculous and fraudulent claim. Mr. Bezos, peel the dollar-signs from your eyeballs and take a good look around. These are the people that made you and your company what they are today. Don't continue to alienate them by persisting in this foolish and self-destructive act of greed. In the end it will be you, not your competitors, who will be the biggest loser.

Keith Wasserman

This really rubs me the wrong way. Amazon has obviously benefitted from the work of others, but seems uninterested in giving anything back. That's bad enough, but not reason to stop using their service. However, the fact that they see fit to stop others from freely using that medium disgusts me. I, and the rest of my family, have been regular customers of Amazon in the past. Not anymore. It's a shame, I really liked Amazon. They seemed like a class-act. This seems far beneth them. But we have been using other web-based booksellers, and will continue to do so, until Amazon stops its abusive practices.

Bryan Scaringe

At present, the granting of software patents in the US appears to be a frighteningly arbitrary process. Each unfairly granted patent allows one party to enjoy priveleges that are wholly out of keeping with the spirit of exchange and innovation that IP law seeks to promote. One party wins a pyrrhic victory, every other party loses the freedom to undertake simple everyday tasks, innovative or otherwise. When this happens sufficiently often there will be no winners at all - nobody will be able to do anything without infringing patents. Amazon did not invent clicking on a hyperlink. They did not invent sending a cookie. By patenting trivial ideas, Amazon is endorsing and supporting a system from which they stand to lose at least as much as anyone else.

Duncan Pierce

Mr. Bezos, I have no problem with your registrations of these aforementioned patents, but I do feel that by using these patents to inhibit the competitive nature of your market you are wrong. The techniques you use for your "one-click" shopping have been around in use at hundreds of web sites before you used these techniques. Admit this, keep your patent and use it only to keep others from trying the same exploits as you now do. While my past purchases from Amazon.com may not add up to much, I am fortunate enough to be in a position where those who are unfamiliar with e-commerce ask my opinion for the best sites on the web to purchase certain items. Amazon.com has been one of my recommendations in the past, but if you continue with your absurd stance with this "one-click" patent and possibly your "associates" patent, then I must express my influence and tell people to buy their books and other merchandise at places such as fatbrain, Barnes & Noble and cdnow. Please reverse your decisi! ons to use your patents to be anti-competitive. Thank you for your time.

Joel Hart

As a professional in the computer field(s), I feel compelled to comment on Amazon's actions. My position may, in-fact, be unique, because I work for a subsection of a company that does prepress book publishing. I am a software developer, have been a web developer, and a system administrator. I believe that most people don't understand the significance of the software patent problem until they've worked in/been exposed to the field for some time. (Please see the league for programming freedom -- http://lpf.ai.mit.edu/ -- for more information on how damaging these patents can be. It's too much to cover here.) What we're dealing with at Amazon may be just that -- someone who doesn't understand. That said, I can not condone, or permit Amazon to continue along this course of action with any real or imagined support from myself. It really does not matter whether the people at amazon lack understanding, or simply lack morality. Any online book purchases I may have made from Amazon will go to Barnes & Noble until this is resolved favourably. If this is resolved, and Amazon's patent is upheld, I'll not be shopping with Amazon again. I want to make that clear. This protest will last as long as Amazon enforces the patent, and not just until the legal trouble is over. I will do my best not only to refrain from buying things from Amazon, but to refrain from using any Amazon services during this time. I know somebody who sells things on zshop, and I'll be purchasing them directly from him rather than through zshop, for instance. I'll also display a bias against any institution which chooses to associate itself with Amazon. The only way for Amazon to redeem themselves at this point is to release all claims on this patent. Anything else is most likely unacceptable.

Christopher Smith

Jason Reid

Evan Robinson

Michael Bealer

Gabriel Bereny

Jesse Grosjean

Subhajit Bhattacherjee

Do the right thing.

Joey Tsai

Rodger Crawford

David Krinsky

Robert Del Huerto

Roger Franz

Dave Erickson

Julian LaPlace

James I. Slaydon, III

Your patent is ludicrous and I no longer buy any books from Amazon.

Brent Halsey

Former customer & maybe never again -- Amazon's choice.

Bill Kohn

I'm a big fan of Amazon. Please do the right thing.

Patrick Colgan

Amazon is damaging the internet and its time to route around it.

Maurice Davis

To say I am most disappointed with Amazon would be a severe understatement.

Alan Krause

It should be bloody obvious that the patent is bollocks. Just drop it.

Alex Pasternak

I support the ban on Amazon use until the patent issues are resolved.

Sean O'Grady

I will not purchase from Amazon for so long as Amazon feels that it must use exploitative business practices.

Garrick James

I've never been to Amazon, I've never even seen one. But this I'll tell you anyhow, I'll never see or be one.

Jeffrey Chimene

As a software developer, I purchase quite a few books every year. Fatbrain gets all of my business until Amazon wises up.

Dave Neuer

this patent makes a mockery of the patent system and should never have gone this far. Shame on you Jeff Bezos.

Ed Meyer

I say we patent delivering content via HTTP for the intent of selling merchandise. Then we sure Amazon and put them out of business =)

David Vedder

My loyalty to Amazon.com has ended. While I'm at it, I plan on submitting a patent for the process of putting a pen cap back on the pen.

Darrell Brogdon

I believe that this is an abuse of the patent office ignorance of Internet technologies.. It should be revoked. I urge Amazon.com to relinquish its patent and the patent office to review it own Internet patent pollicies. -Richard Monson-Haefel

Richard Monson-Haefel

I agree with your denouncement of Amazon's patenting policies. On a wider scale, I dislike software patents in general. Add my name to the list.

Robert Smith

I have been a big Amazon customer for both books and music in the past year. This will stop and I will go to alternate sites. I love the convenience, but not at this cost.

Claus Laundrup

I have no intention of doing further business with Amazon.com as long as they continue to enforce this or any other ridiculously broad and socially harmful software patent.

Brian McGuinness

I support software patents, but only when they are for legitimate processes. These patents violate the spirit of the patent system and cast a shadow over all software patents.

Runako Godfrey

No longer is the internet a place of intellectual freedom and sharing of ideas for the common good. It is now a place of pure greed, it's corruption is complete, Thank you Jeff

Jay Hellmann

No longer is the internet a place of intellectual freedom and sharing of ideas for the common good. It is now a place of pure greed, it's corruption is complete, Thank you Jeff

Jay Hellmann

I've been a satisified Amazom customer for years, but my business will be going elsewhere until this situation has been resolved. I'm also actively encouraging co-workers to do the same.

Don Krause

I am a formerly very satified Amazon customer, but I will no longer do any business with them until they stop misusing the patent system.

Kelly Price

Patenting simple technology such as use of a cookie is petty and simple-minded. I will likely purchase my books elsewhere until you see the light and stop trying to stifle technological development. Thank you.

Mike Dodd

Agree with Tim's letter wholeheartedly. Amazon is a wonderful business, but their patents are beyond outrageous. Until they drop their efforts to constrict the Web, I will not shop with them.

Gordon Strause

David M. Hungerford III

I hope that by attaching my name to this letter, it will help convince you that attempting to enforce the patent (not just getting it) will prove to harm more than help your company's bottom line.

Scott Wolford

Amazon seems lost in their own jungle, missing the forest for the trees and I think they just ran head first into a big one. Listen to Tim, guys, he's trying to play native guide, and you could do worse.

Zachary DeAquila

I was formerly a very happy customer of Amazon.ca, unfortunately due to this blatant abuse of power on Amazon's part, I will no longer deal with them until they realize the err. in there ways and correct it. Keep the Internet open.

Robin Bolton

I'm actually more upset with the USPTO than with Amazon, but I absolutely agree that agressively persuing a bad patent is just as bad as granting it in the 1st place. Jeff: Please stop. Tim: Thanks for the call to action. JB, not shopping at Amazon.

JB Segal

I have bought several books through Amazon, but can no longer continue to do so, given Amazon's patent issues. Please reconsider your position with these patents. I have also advised my many local and 'net friends to consider boycotting Amazon for these patent practices.

Jim O'Brien

Just today I bought seventy dollars worth of books that I would have much rather bought at Amazon. Instead, because you continue to abuse patents, I was forced to purchase from another vendor. I hope that you are pleased with what your entirely foolish behavior has caused.

John Mascher

Thanks Tim for picking up this battle. We need somebody with enough leadership and visibility to speak up. Those few hundred bucks each of us is spending individually on Amazon.com isn't much of a leverage to give the giant a nudge. But I sure hope that combined they make a difference.

Joel R.

first i called amazon and told them to delete my name from their database. then i went to http://nowebpatents.org/ and registered with their boycott. my next steps are to urge my friends to to do the same, and to choose a different bookstore to spend several hundred dollars each year.

Adam Chandler

Thanks to Tim for saying it so well for all of us. If Amazon does not follow his advice, I will join the boycott of Amazon. I have already stopped using Amazon and checking out the competition. Amazon's superior lists of books and prices are the reason I use it; the one-click is irrelevent.

John G. Stewart

This position is disturbing, and I applaud Tim and company for their approach to the protest. As of this date I will not buy anything on Amazon, and will persuade my friends and family to do likewise. I hope Jeff decides to change his position, as I would really like to continue to do business with this company.

Matt Bacchi

I was previously a devoted Amazon customer. Their recent assults on the free and open nature of the web have insulted consumers like myself as well as every retail site online. I have since canceled my pending orders and will give my patronage to other sites until Amazon gives up their policy of aggressive comonplace-technology squatting.

Jamie Zucek

I've spent a total of ๠ at online bookstores. That's not much, but there are _many_ more people who may have spent equals amounts. I spent them at "www.bn.com" because of the Amazon patent issue. I will continue the boycott of Amazon until the patent issues go away, and I hope many thousands of others do likewise.

Thomas Palmer

It is sad how little knowledge the patent office seems to have about technical issues. It is even more sad how eager companies like Amazon.com are to exploit this flaw in the patent office. What is not sad, however, is the level of knowledge of the general public. They will not allow this; if Amazon's sales are not hurting now, they soon will be. And I will be doing eveything in my power to guarantee it.

Sonja Tideman

I have been surprised and disappointed at Amazon's patenting trivial technology. It only says bad things about Amazon, and the US Patent Office. My company has been buying a lot of technical books through Amazon the last few years, but this patent has caused the software company I work for to start using other sources. Please reconsider this awful direction you have chosen. There is still time to make the right decision.

Robert Leider

Your decision to actively support the patenting of 1-click ordering is wholly foolhardy, especially considering that you chose to emphasize the user-experience part of the process (the single click) over any particularly clever application of code that would allow for 1-click shopping. Patenting an idea is presumptuous in the extreme, and I urge you to take this letter and what it represents _very_ seriously.

Ben Cochran

I find it hypocritical that a company who's success is derived from the open systems of the internet, would try to patent such a trivial application. Where would we be if someone patented the hyperlink? I am writing a letter to Amazon requesting that all my credit card data and personal information be removed from their system. I am also selling all my Amazon stock and promoting http://www.noamazon.com any chance I get.

Joe Pearson

I had heard of cookies before I heard of amazon.com. As a professional developer the most "obvious" use I saw for cookies was to store customer information. I remember being slightly paranoid about the security of cookies and my credit card information. An obvious use of technology is about as far from an invention as possible. Amazon, please drop this suit and make the "one-click" patent freely available in the public domain before you lose more customers like me. Thank you. Craig Maslowski

Craig Maslowski

Amazon, you are seriously jeopardizing a significant segment of a loyal customer base. As a member of an internet startup, I and my colleagues not only make a high volume of purchases through Amazon, but are often engaged in getting our less tech-savvy friends and relatives comfortable with on-line purchases. Your egregious abuse of muddy intellectual property law has ensured that you will not be receiving further business or references from us. I hope you will reconsider the patent.

Paul Agostinelli

When Amazon filed their 1-click shopping patent, I decided not to purchase anything else from them. Still, I kept relatively quiet about it, and didn't really try to convince others to do the same. Guess what? Twice is too much. My decision to not purchase from Amazon until they revise their patent policy has been extended, to convincing others not to purchase from the company as well. It's not as if there aren't other sources for books on the web; often cheaper, as well. I look forward to exploring them.

A. Freed

The filing and legal enforcement of this patent is against the principles that the 'net was built on in the first place. After learning more about this issue, I will reserve my book money for organizations that are more in-tune with the culture of the Internet. Do not turn your back on the Internet culture, it is what has nurished your business from the start. I would like for you to change your position and come out in support of the openness that the Internet was built on. When you do this, you will earn my appreciation and even more of my business.

Michael Learn

I find it hard to believe that all the ill will you are generating can be balanced by your pursuit of this and other patents. If your motives were defensive I could understand, your actions indidcate otherwise. I can live without one-click shopping and I can't help wondering how valuable your Associates program can be as fewer people use your site. Prior to this patent absurdity, my first inclination when looking for a book was Amazon. Sadly for Amazon, that is no longer the case, now I look for alternatives. I urge Amazon to re-examine their position. To paraphrase an old ad campaign, "A lost customer is a terrible thing to waste."

Jake Spiller

I am (or should I say "I was"?), a good customer of Amazon's. I purchased plenty of books from them, as they gave me the possibility to get some otherwise unavailable technical books. I am truly disappointed by their current behaviour and I am therefore refraining from buying anything from them as log as this issue is not satisfactorily solved. I hope that they do check my previous record of book orders and do notice that they ceased. I hope that they can estimate how much money they will be losing on this issue and step back. As a matter of fact, during the last 6 months I ordered some 躔 worth of books, from other people. Too bad for them.

Giacomo Mulas

I wrote a similar letter to Amazon when I first heard of this and received a response much like the response Tim got. I have since made all of my book purchases through Amazon's competitors. I will continue to abstain from using Amazon so as long as Amazon continues its abuse of the patent system by patenting commonly used e-commerce techniques. I strongly believe, however, that Amazon will continue to try to fence in technology as long as they believe that the masses will remain ignorant of what they are really doing. My fear is that this will encourage other companies to do the same. Then we will start to lose not only common e-commerce processing techniques, but perhaps more general computing techniques as well.

William Green

It is this sort of patently stupid (and if your foolish enough to patent "1-Click" then you might as well formalize the colloquialism and patent "stupid" as well)corporate strategy that ultimately kills the very corporation it was designed to protect. Turning a blind eye to your consumers in an effort to fend off competition and establish, essentially, a monopoly in a given market is a good way to ensure that your customers will desert you and your business will fail. In the end it's not the consumer that's hurt, it's you. If you value your current position in the market, I suggest you listen to your customers and cease such monopolistic and predatory actions as the "1-Click" patent and the lawsuit against Barnes & Noble.

Alaric G. Weigle

I have ordered countless items from Amazon since my first order in February 1997. They were an excellent service with excellent prices. I am apalled they have succumbed to shortsighted corporate greed--especially considering their success without resorting to such tactics in the past. I have cancelled my 6 unshipped orders and will make no further purchases from them unless they redeem themselves by renouncing their exploitation of an outdated patent system to the detriment of the Web and the philosophy of open-source. I don't make this decision lightly. It will mean I must now make many purchases I was used to making online at other websites, or even at brick-and-mortar locations, spending higher prices and wasting more time. I will do it anyway because the openness of the Net is far more important to me that the convenience of Amazon.

Adams Douglas

This truly sickens me to see Amazon.com patent and enforce the patent on such a blatantly obvious technique. There are some people in this world who will knowingly do things just because they feel that they can get away with it. It is my impression that Amazon.com falls into this category. It's clear to everyone that Amazon is willfully abusing the patent system. As such, they are showing their true colours and demonstrating their lack of business ethics and common sense. In light of this, I can honestly say that I will not purchase anything else from Amazon now or in the future, no matter what the outcome of the patent situation. Even if they were to give up their patents, the damage has been done and Amazon has been exposed for what it truly is. I will always remain a <B>former</B> Amazon customer. Amazon.com, I wish you everything you deserve.

Matt Perry

Very well said, Mr O'Reilly. Amazon should ponder very carefully the implications of the reaction their moves have provoked amongst the technically aware community. It's not just direct loss of sales which is involved: despite all the current hype e-commerce is still in its infancy, and many people still find the prospect of making their first online purchase a daunting and uncomfortable one, for which they seek reassurance and advice from someone who has already done it - and the technically aware are still a large part of this pool. In such an environment, bad repute can spread rapidly and result in permanent loss of business as potential customers become familiar and comfortable with competitor's offerings. Perhaps even more significantly, the reaction gives a strong indication of what will be the consensus of undeniably expert testimony should a challenge to this mischievous patent come to court.

Pete Lee

I regret that Amazon insists on this ludicrous patent. When we reflect on other foolish software patents, like the Compton patent on all multimedia or the Microsoft patent on web discussion forums, we can see how uninformed the USPTO is about software issues. Can Amazon be confident that no competitor will dredge up some inane patent to use against them? And if not for a service they currently provide, for an area in which they seek to expand? I think not. It is in Amazon's interest to make software patents a non-issue. Their brand equity and customer loyalty are very good, and their willingness to rethink their mission constantly as the e-commerce world grows will serve them well. Building walls of this kind wil not, and the side effect of alienating a vocal segment of technophiles and early-adopters will not. I have bought over 񘈨 of books from Barnes and Noble since this began, using Amazon only for hard to find titles. I am also considering boycotting them altogether until this is resolved. Since I have been shopping with Amazon since 1996, and since I have spent in excess of 񙇈 with them, I believe I am one of their core customers. That is the future they are building as far as I am concerned. Sincerely, Steve Salkin

Steven Salkin

I have purchased from Amazon in the past, but not since I heard about the absurdity of their "business decision" to patent non-original ideas and processes. I believe that brick-and-mortar is the way to go; at least there, I can read the book (or at least get a good idea of the contents) before I purchase it, and don't have to worry about violating someone's patent (no matter how trivial it really is) just to make a purchase! Barnes and Noble, here I come....or Hastings, or Borders, or.... Mr. O'Reilly, thank you for your eloquent and unbiased letter to Mr. Bezos, and I can only hope that the number of signers to this letter and the number of sales they lose as a result might become an eye-opener for Amazon.com. One thought: perhaps we could inform Amazon directly as to what their potential customers think! this page has a list of their customer support email addresses: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/subst/help/mail-menu.html/103-8692251-0663030 Robert A. Cooper Bryan, Texas, USA

Robert A. Cooper

E J Steil

David Besch

Mel Norbeck

Dave Parker

The history of this industry is full of stories of people and companies appropriating obvious work. Does Amazon realize they are now in idealogical alignment with the guy who patented the pivot point Y2K fix? I've been a strong supporter of Amazon and have liked the way they have done business to now, but until they relinquish their stand I will remove all affiliate links and shift my business to powells.com .

Dave Slusher

Joshua Baer

James S. Neff

Bruce J. Lindsay

Brian Bush

Patrick Green

I've been buying books from Amazon for several years now but this patents issue fills me with revulsion for their methods. Its sad to see a once truly innovative company go the way of the Gates of this world. No more Amazon for me (of course, if they publicly retract their claims, I might rethink).

Papi Menon

Jeff MacDonald

Arno Hollosi

Sean Cummins

Ben Esacove

Allan Morstein

Daniel Mercer

Judy Anderson

Ken Hagler

Christopher Schweda

Bem Jones-Bey

Guillermo Aranda

Raymond M. Reskusich

Andrew Bakun

Greg Robbins

Mattias Wadenstein

Simply ridiculous!

William A. Aquila

Former customer

Joachim B. Haga

I'm boycotting, and I'll advise others to do so too.

Nigel Purdy

Another unsatisfied, former customer.

George Kyle

I completely agree with Tim. Don't buy from Amazon!

Michael Grinder

Amazon, you should be embarassed by your behavior.

Dave Newton

I agree with the letter on all points.

J. Stephen Warren

Amazon has gone too far with this. Despite finding their service excellent, I will no longer buy from them.

Alex Burr

Trivial patents hurt everyone, especially Amazon's customers. I guess I have to find books elsewhere now. This is a shame since I appreciated Amazon's good customer service.

Nathan Lawson

Amazon is off my list of vendors to consider for any purchase. I am advising others to not deal with Amazon. Amazon is not a "good neighbor".

Peter Hoffman

Dear Mr. Bezos I am taking my business elsewhere. I am not impressed by Amazon's behaviour with regard to prosecuting spurious software patents. Kindly reconsider, Saras Udanpur

Saras Udanpur

Ease up, or I buy elsewhere. Customer loyalty is an easy loss, especially on the net. I like Amazon the site and service. I dislike Amazon the bully. Desist!

Richard Taylor

Please reconsider your stance on your two software patents. Actions such as these can only be detrimental to the future development of the World Wide Web. Thank you.

Amy Csizmar Dalal

As a result of Amazon's ridiculousness, Amazon has no chance at any of my business until they cease and desist trying to patent a vital and common element of e-business.

Colin Spitler

I am an O'Reilly customer and purchase books (both technical & non-technical) online. I am supporting the boycott of Amazon until this issue is resolved to my satisfaction. Ian Paul Foot

ian.foot(a)dial.pipex.com

The 1-click patent does not protect a unique or novel technology. It's just a legal artifice, borne of a corrupt patent system, that Amazon is using as a bludgeon to attempt to smash its competition. How crass.

Andrew Tannenbaum

It's quite simple Jeff, if you continue with this, you will have a huge boycott on your hands... There are many alternatives to your site now, I'll have no problem with going elsewhere. It's your call.

John Gardner

I completely agree with Tim. This is the end of my business with Amazon, my family's business with Amazon, and many of my friends' business with Amazon.

Ed Kern

As an employee of one of the largest brokerage institutions in the US, I am urging my fellow coworkers to go elsewhere to purchase books online until the management at Amazon.com comes to their senses.

Phil Johnson

I've also spent hundreds of dollars in the past at Amazon, but as a developer myself, am disturbed by what I consider to be Amazon's unethical and irresponsible actions in this matter. I would urge Amazon to reconsider.

Phil McJunkins

I find Amazon's patent on 1-click ordering, and almost all software patents in general, to be disgusting. They're already stifling innovation in the software industry, and they are rapidly on their way to destroying the Internet.

Pete Flugstad

Being an e-commerce innovator, I'm saddened by how Amazon has stifled continued growth and innovation in this field. I will not support a company that doesn't support the industry/medium that it was founded upon.

Jeff Carnahan

Until Amazon stops trying to enforce this ridiculous patent, I'll be boycotting and encouraging all my friends to do likewise. Please do yourselves *and* the net a favor and stand down from this absurd position.

Claudia Mastroianni

Intellectual Property is a public trust, intended to reward innovation and spur invention, for the public good. This patent serves only private profit, and without meeting any measure of innovation. As such, it deserves no public largesse.

Jeff McCoskey

You may add me to the list of *former* amazon.com customers. Mr. O'Reilly did not state the case too strongly when he accused Amazon of "pissing in the well," and I for one will not buy from a vendor who does that kind of thing.

WAde L. Scholine

I have brought tonnes of books from anazon.com and amazon.co.uk (lots of them ORA books :-) and if you don't desist from this daft behaviour over patents I'll be forced to follow RMS's boycott suggestion -- please have a re-think.

Chris Croome

Guys, if you back off from this you will not loose your face, quite opposite. If you show that you can learn from your mistakes it will be the best marketing you can get. And I do hope that it's just a mistake on your side!!!!

Artem G. Abanov

Ya know, I was really irate when Barnes and Noble went after Ingram, so I took my consumer voting dollars to Amazon. Now Amazon has decided they can play the bully and profit off the efforts of others. So much for them taking the high road.

Larry Loesch

I cannot say anything better that what have previously been said. I guess will just say "Barnes and Noble" here I come. I have money burning a hole in my pocket and books to buy. If you come around, send me an e-mail, and I would be happy to come back. Well ... until then ....

Jeff Barrett

Indeed, the World Wide Web was given to us all as a gift, and now some are trying to claim parts of it as their own. I guess that's business as usual, but it doesn't make it ethical and I will not be buying from Amazon until they wake up and see the light.

Michael Schwager

I do most of my book purchasing from Amazon. Not any more. I also purchase CDs, videos and toys/electronics. Until Amazon wakes up I will shop elsewhere. BTW Amazon I also purchase MANY technical books for a large department. You are losing more than a typical single customer.

Michael Kriss

I agree with Tim's letter and feel that Amazon should drop the patent. Most of the techno-weenies I know (including myself) all think that Amazon looks really stupid for having the patent. After all, the technology was around before they were and was given freely to the world...

Christopher Lamey

Like many others, I am not a large source of income for Amazon. However, I agree that what you are doing is wrong. I think that the patents should never have been issued. I will not be buying anything from you until you quit your abuse. Plenty of other sources for O'Reilly books out there!

David Kubalak

I can appreciate Amazon filing patents to prevent someone else filing the patent and then trying to collect royalties. But I do not agree with your policy of using the patents to restrict others.

John McQuilling

Tim said it best, you're "pissing in the well." You don't have to "give back" to the community, but you certainly have no right to strangle it. If I can boycott the entire movie industry due to the DVD fiasco, then I'll have no trouble boycotting one online book store (that's you). Thanks.

John L. Varga, III

It is indeed not logical in any definition of the term to go against those who created the technology you (Amazon) wish to hide. In fact, as has been stated by so many others, it will prove to be counterprofitable. The Betamax is a prome example of short term greed. Learn from it!

Neil J. McLeish

As a previous Amazon.com customer (books & cd's), I'm disappointed in Amazon. I will not buy anything from Amazon.com until they change their stance on this issue.

Joe Phillips

I have supported Amazon.com for quite some time, even defending their position in the book industry as my friends bemoaned the "demise" of the small bookstore. Given Amazon's unreasonable pursuit of this patent issue, I will be shopping elsewhere, and encouraging others to do the same.

David Hoskin

You would think that, in this time of general public recoil from companies like Microsoft, Amazon would be smart enough to not go against the principles that so many of the people on the net hold dear. I, for one, will be trying to purchase books elsewhere from now on, with Amazon as my last resort.

Kristin Anne Igaki

I find Amazon's behavior and intent fascinating. Mr. Bezos et al have amassed immense fortunes which, at least in part, are results of other people's time, effort, and sense of community. To ignore this fact is shameful. Perhaps there is something in the Seattle water supply that causes this amazing selective memory.

Calum Lawler

I have spent more than 躔 to date at amazon.com, and have never purchased books or CDs from any other online merchant. However, in light of the abusive patents on One-Click ordering and the Affiliates program, I can no longer countenance purchasing anything from Amazon. I hope you see fit to change your policies soon.

Seth L. Blumberg

Over the past several years my colleagues and I have built a very large library of technical books here for us to reference. In the past we looked to Amazon as a major supplier of those books. In the future we will not buy anything from Amazon until they admit that the 1-Click and Associates patents are absurd and cease to enforce them.

Jeffrey A. Everett

The Amazon case is just the tip of the iceberg. The current patenting practices have to be subjected to a review by the courts (inevitable) as well as in the public policy arena (desirable and more important). It is high time to question the normative and practical preconceptions that underpin our attitude towards intellectual "property".

Dieter Zinnbauer

I am a small business owner and Web developer. This type of patent will hinder the advancement of the internet and ideas. I hope that after the obvious disagreement from the technical community Amazon will reconsider their position on this issue. The internet is a success because of it's open ideas and mass inovation. Not by the power of one.

Scott Burton

Tim has elucidated the situation clearly. As both an amazon.com and O'Reilly customer, let me say that as of today I'm a former amazon.com customer who will be purchasing O'Reilly books elsewhere from now on. I'm also an amazon associate, but I'll be removing all those links from my website shortly, and directing folks to more responsible vendors.

Pann McCuaig

I was an Amazon associate/affiliat, but have converted my online bookstore to use FatBrain. Amazon had captured nearly 100% of my book purchases, but now I go elsewhere, and will continue to do so until/unless these patents are dropped or assigned to some neutral entity (see http://www.p3c.org, or http://www.openpatents.org) with a free license.

Gregor N. Purdy

Like many others, I am not a large source of income for Amazon. However, I agree that what you are doing is wrong. I think that the patents should never have been issued. I will not be buying anything from you until you quit your abuse. Plenty of other sources for O'Reilly books out there!

David Kubalak

I am a Software Engineer and have seen and heard stories about software patents. How a simple idea could not be used simply because some lawer took it away. The patent system is being used outside of the spirit of its purpose and is bringing great harm to the whole industry. No software should be patentable, just copyrighted. I will never buy from your company again.

Jon Allen

I concur with the above letter. I furthermore wish to add that I have been an Amazon customer in the past -- but will not be in the future, if this ill-considered patent move is not reversed. There are still plenty of "bricks-and-mortar" stores where I can get my books, and even other online book sellers. I will make no further purchases until this ignorant stance is reversed.

Brandon Havey

A trademark on "1-Click Ordering" is one thing, but a patent on such an obvious process? This whole rush on patents on obvious e-commerce processes is remarkably like the rush on domain names a few years ago. Hopefully the courts will get some technical advisors who realize that granting patents for most of these things is like letting me grab www.coca-cola.com just because I was faster than Coca-Cola.

C. Robert Stevens

I have been aware of this for a while, and it's clearly ridiculous. I believe Amazon is also suing over coffee cups (another one of their great, and proprietary ideas) and of course, the entire process of selling books through the mail: "We WRAP them, and put POSTAGE on them, - get it? - OUR idea!" - Bezos was quoted as saying Tuesday by a source who refused to be identified, stating "they might claim they thought me up, too."

James Woodson

As a former independent bookseller, I have a long history of loathing Barnes and Noble. Even though Amazon contributes to the death of these small businesses, Amazon was my preferred on-line dealer because there was none of the paternalistic censorship that we can expect from B&N. Patenting and enforcing patents on obvious technology that you have borrowed is flat out wrong. Until such time as Amazon's patent policy is changed, I will buy books from B&N or Fatbrain.

Louis Moore

I can't belive the audacity of Amazon to believe that these ideas are worthy of patenting. The innovation and creativity these ideas embody is exactly what these patents will destroy. The internet is a medium that fosters innovation and technological advances and these patents, if enforced, will stifle exactly the innovation that made Amazon what it is. I will never, ever, ever buy anything else from Amazon and hope that everyone else follows suit.

Mark Davis

Amazon has always been one of my favorite stops on the web. I've always considered it a model for excellent customer services. I am very distressed to learn of Amazon's tactics of patenting what is an obvious technology, and clearly in an attempt to extort money out of other websites. I will no longer shop at Amazon. I will withdraw my memberhip in their affiliate program, and I'll be sure to tell all my friends to shop elsewhere. Goodbye Amazon!

Steve Faiwiszewski

Thank you Mr. O'Reilly for taking the time and energy to publically address this critical issue. I am impressed by the professionalism with which you've handled yourself and the creativity you have shown by providing this mechanism for the rest of us to make our voices heard. I sincerely hope that these efforts are not made in vain and that Amazon sees the error of their ways in regards to both the 1-click *and* the affiliate-program patent issues. Sincerely, JSF

Joshua S. Freeman

The 1-Click and Associates program patents that Amazon has acquired and apparently intends to enforce are outrageous. A few weeks ago, I bought what I think was my 10th Amazon book; now I regret it. I won't be shopping with Amazon until Amazon gives up these trivial, overly broad patents. I can't believe you ever sought to obtain them in the first place. If that's not hubris, I don't know what is. O'Reilly's 'pissing in the well' comment is right on the mark.

Charles Hornberger

I have been a customer of amazon.com for a long time, and have been very satisfied with the level of service. In short, amazon.com has always made me a happy customer. Sadly, I have realized that amazon.com now subscribes to business-practices that is totally unacceptable, even to the best of my wishes. The patent on one-click-ordering and the associates-program is forcing me to get my books elsewhere, even if that means lower service and higher prices. Too bad, but here goes another customer...

Jo Totland

Amazon is simply taking advantage of a woefully inefficient and ineffective patent process that is unable to distinguish legitimate inventions deserving protection from those that are not. This scenario is repeated over and over again in many different industries. It is invariably left to a judge/jury (non-technical) to make a decision. I have always believed that the way to win in the marketplace is to run faster than the competition and suggest that Amazon do the same instead of erecting barriers which impede progress for everyone, including their own.

Jerry E. Hurst, Jr.

I spent some money over the holidays at Amazon and recently ordered two books. I won't order anymore from amazon.com. There's not an informed person on the web who thinks this patent (or the patent application on affiliate programs) has any merit. Don't prey upon the ignorance of the patent office by asking for a patent on the marketing spin of an already established technology. And don't kill the goose that laid the golden egg...the free invention and exchange of technology "tricks" ultimately benefits you more than trying to create and enforce these kinds of restrictions.

Kim Flint

I work as a computer tech and sys admin and I'm pretty apalled by Amazon's attitude. I bought from Amazon before because I thougth their prices were great and because of the service. But I have to agree with Tim and Amazon is in fact trying to limit the potential of the net. As a technical user, I (and the company I work for) require to buy plenty of books (several by O'Reilly in fact). In fact yesterday I decided to got to Fatbrain.com to buy 2 books. I hope Amazon sees "the light", but until then I will shop elsewhere. I thought something like Amazon should be successfull because its service, not its bullying tactics.

Manuel Alducin

Dear Amazon, I was once a frequent and loyal customer. I eagerly recommended your web site and service to my friends. As a programmer and computer scientist, I have also been an opponent to obvious software patents. In the past, this industry has seen many foolish and clearly obvious patents. Unfortunately, your one-click patent is one of the most obvious. I will not support you in your effort to impinge upon the future innovation of the web. I will continue to boycott your business, and I will continue to dissuade my friends from using your service until these patents are released into the public domain.

David Johnson

I, also, have been a good customer of Amazon.com. But, this patent should never have been granted, submitted, or enforced. Prior art alone should have rendered this a non-issue. Patenting a cookie process would be as insane as patenting gene sequences (I forgot, Patent Office is issuing patents on those also). The only good that could come from this is if Amazon comes to the public and says that it was doing this as an experiment to show the folly of the Patent Office and they were using this as a test case to show Congress they need to overhaul the process. But, alas, they probably are not creating a test case and merely creating ill-will.

Jason McClellan

I am the CTO of a small internet startup as well as being a full time application developer. My startup does not make any purchases from Amazon, and I've stopped buying there myself. All of my co-workers have joined the boycott of Amazon as well. I'm not happy about this situation, as I think that Amazon is a great company with great service. However, if Amazon maintains their current position much longer, it's very likely that many of us will become so comfortable with and used to using Barnes and Noble, fatbrain, Tower Records, and many other sites that there will be no reason to ever go back to Amazon even if they do finally come to see reason.

Matthew Yarbrough

Amazon.com used to be my "default" online book retailer. I really liked thier search tools and one-click ordering. Fact is, though, I have not even accessed Amazon.com since the 1-click patent and absolutely will not order anything from Amazon.com now that they have taken this to the next level. Amazon.com, Please stop closing and locking doors on the Web. The Web is driven by open technology. The spirit of the Web involves giving and preserving the environment for the advancement of technology. 1-click and affiliate programs are a "step ONE" in the life of e-commerce sites. Unblock the next step. Matt Warden http://mattwarden.com/

Matt Warden

As I read about the conflict in process, my only thought is, 'What a shame.' It's obvious the Amazon attorneys have too much time (and money) on their hands. Imagine what kind of new features and enhancements could have been made to your site if you would spend the resources on improving the technology. Your site is not as great as you think it is. It takes up to four cookies just to load the first page. I don't know where your hiring your programmers, but where I come from that's not good programming. I wouldn't be surprised if your attorneys soon filed another patent on selling the information your gathering from people just visiting your site. What a shame.

Jorge A. Garcia

A company that has benefitted so much from open standards as Amazon has should never have filed such stifling patents as these. Amazon: you have no right to continue doing business using the innovations provided to you by the likes of Tim Berners-Lee, the Netscape group that formed the cookie specification, and many others. I personally feel cheated, having recommended to others and contributed my own money to a business that would rob the Internet community in this way. Thus I will discontinue my business with Amazon, and take every opportunity to urge my friends and those who trust me to do the same, until Amazon completely reverses its position on software patents, contributing those that it already holds to the public domain.

Oliver Stewart

A company that has benefitted so much from open standards as Amazon has should never have filed such stifling patents as these. Amazon: you have no right to continue doing business using the innovations provided to you by the likes of Tim Berners-Lee, the Netscape group that formed the cookie specification, and many others. I personally feel cheated, having recommended to others and contributed my own money to a business that would rob the Internet community in this way. Thus I will discontinue my business with Amazon, and take every opportunity to urge my friends and those who trust me to do the same, until Amazon completely reverses its position on software patents, contributing those that it already holds to the public domain.

Oliver Stewart

Daniel P. McCarty

Dear Jeff Bezos, As both a Web developer and an employee of an organization who's heart and soul is in the education of students, I believe what Amazon has done is appalling and will seriously hurt both the Internet business and the education of people around. Amazon is in the business of books from the start, and it should not stand in the way of those others who would like to get books into the hands of those to learn. I also hope that this stands as a message to the patent offices of the world that they must be more careful and educated in their granting of patents. Their job should be the promoting of innovation, not the stifling of it! Sincerely, Andrew Jung Analyst, Web Services Centre for Education Information Standards and Services. http://www.ceiss.org/

Andrew Jung

I am personally boycotting Amazon and will use other services, i.e. fatbrain.com, until such time as Amazon drops this childish behaivor. If they want to "take thier ball and go home" they will be alone in an ever evolvoing web environment.

Rod Richeson

Why the hell where you (Amazon.com) ever allowed to obtain a patent on a simple thing like "cookies", that you didn't even invent! Ridiculous! It is sad that the American public is not informed enough YET to understand the gravity of your greedy actions. As technology evolves and time goes on, people will understand more and more about these kind of technical issues and will lump you into an unpopular and distasteful catagory like Microsoft. Unfortunately it will proabally have little if any negative effect on your profit margins, and that is most likely the only thing that would grab your attention enough for you to consider releasing rights to this patent. All I can do is use my power as a consumer to not shop at your site and convince everyone I know to do the same. Amazon.com : Think about it.

Austin Vaughan

I am one of Amazon.com's early adopters and a techie, buying many books, toys, music, and video, including many of O'Reilly's. I am also distraught about this malicious abuse of patent law, and a clueless patent office. Until Amazon ceases this land-grab on the 'net, I will no longer purchase any product or service from Amazon, or an Amazon affiliate like drugstore.com. This is not a slanderous affair, I'm just not putting my money into a business which violates the "New Ethics" of the internet. If I'm buying books on Open Source Software, I'm going to buy them from a company that believes the Internet and simple applications like Cookies are also open. Call it a Service Mark, make it better, do whatever, but it's easy to prove prior art. Until then, this is a more malicious instance of etoy v etoys. Until Amazon learns to play nice with the other kids in the sandbox, I'm leaving this playground.

William Foy

Tim, First, thank you! Not only for the excellent quality of the books that you publish, but the manner in which you voiced so eloquently your concerns over the recent Amazon.com (tm) patents. Second, like many of the others who have signed this open letter, I am telling as many of my on-line companions about my views of the things that Amazon is pulling, and I am providing them with lists of other places to look and shop for their books and such. TOI date, there has only been one person whom I have not been able to convince to shop other places than Amazon. The reason for that is that her interests are rather obscure in medieval manuscript arts. But, as soon as I can find a reliable source for those types of books, I can bet that she'll start buying elsewhere, too. To Amazon, I can only say "Shame on you!" The idea in marketing is not to piss off your customers... It should be to please them so well that they continue to buy from you. Only then can you get out of the "red" and actually start making a profit, which is really the idea behind business: to MAKE money, rather than loose it. Sincerely, Geordon VanTassle Former Amazon shopper

Geordon VanTassle

Like so many others who have signed this open letter, I am a formerly happy and satisfied customer of Amazon.com. Moreover, I have friends and family who have worked for Amazon, and whose opinions of your company were extremely high. In addition to my own purchases, I have certainly referred many others to purchase books, music and other things from you. I hope that you understand that Amazon.com cannot afford to lose the goodwill of the community which supports them. For awhile, you can continue to profit from those who are unaware of your patent claims, but eventually the vast bulk of your market will migrate to your competitors. Even if your patent were to be upheld as valid, this would be a very ill-considered strategy. You know very well that Internet changes the rules of business in extremely significant ways. One of these changes is that intellectual property claims (even valid ones) will often create a backlash more costly than the value of the protection. When it is one so precarious as the 1-Click or Affiliate claims, I think you should save the money you've been spending on lawyers, drop these at once, and invest in reacquiring the goodwill you've lost.

Mike Goldman

Derek Harrell

Rob Bryan

Sandor Fuss

James Eagan

Sean Cavanagh

Chris Peikert

Neil Hoggarth

Wade Badenhorst

David Menestrina

Guenter Schneider

Javier Arturo Rodriguez

David M. Zendzian

I heartily support Tim O'Reilly's letter.

Jeff Shepherd

David M. Zendzian

I have been an Amazon.com customer for quite awhile but I refuse to purchase another product from the site until the patent application is withdrawn. I used to have a great opinion of Amazon.com but now I see them as just as bad as Microsoft. Not a good business strategy.

Tyler J. Alumbaugh

Theodore Hong

Andrew Sherman

Gregory McLean

Reuben Sumner

William J. Murphy

William Hester

Peter Palfrader

Robert G. Schmertz

Scott Elliott

Cloyce D. Spradling

Triantafillos Karayiannis

I'm shopping at Fat Brain and Powell's, until amazon lets up.

Floyd Mann

I used to really like Amazon. Now I stay away.

Bradley R. Smith

This patent has convinced me to take my business to other online bookstores.

James W Walden

Please take account of your customers wishes. They made you company.

Hugh Potts

Your abuse of the patent system has already cost you this (formerly satisfied) customer.

Shane Pielli

This is almost as ridiculous as the Onion joke about Microsoft patenting the numbers 0 and 1.

Ron Laufer

That technique existed well before Amazon. Bezos, your altruism is displaying grred here !

David Hilton

Luckily, most the books I want I can get at FatBrain. The rest I'll go to a meat bookstore for.

Adam Heinz

Is Amazon going to patent bookmarks next? Or cover jackets? Repent. You have invented NOTHING.

Paul F. Dubois

Can I patent that revolutionary blue-green color on my Windows desktop and then make Microsoft stop using it?

Tim Gales

Well, it's off to Barnes & Noble. And to think, I had been so pleased with your site that I have never even tried anyone else.

H. B. Harris

Being a developer of e-commerce sites I can safely say that I am in violation of this Patent and proud of it.

Robert Nylander

Add one more person (me, duh!) to the list of people disgusted with Amazon's actions in the area of software patents.

scott jacobs

I will not order anymore merchandise from Amazon from this day forward until they abandon their one-click shopping patent.

Patrik Dousa

Although I have been a loyal Amazon customer since the beginning, I am now joining the boycott until Amazon releases these frivilous and selfish patents.

John Boardman

My animal rights group currently has an association with Amazon for our recommended reading list. We're switching to Wordsworth because of Amazon's lameness.

Dave Rolsky

I very much like Amazon.com, and have bought many books and CD's from amazon. But I really think that these patents are a bit off of the deep end. Please Mr Bezos, drop these patents.

Zachary Kessin

My best internet shopping experiences have been with Amazon, but until you stop pursuing such baseless patents, my business will now go to fatbrain.com, bn.com, and a host of other web retailers.

Steve Lewis

Amazon.com *used* to be my favorite place to shop online and I recommeneded it to everyone who'd ask me. As a consultant, I am asked alot. Amazon is no longer on my list - and will not be - until this silly patent is dissolved.

Lisa Kramer

Amazon.com *used* to be my favorite place to shop online and I recommeneded it to everyone who'd ask me. As a consultant, I am asked alot. Amazon is no longer on my list - and will not be - until this silly patent is dissolved.

Lisa Kramer

I won't be using Amazon while they enforce the 1-click patent. Barnes and Noble offers a similar service at a similar price at bn.com, so why support Amazon's attempt to use the patent system to stifle competition?

Andy Latto

I agree fully with Tim. I think this whole business will hurt Amazon far more than it will help. Remember, unhappy clients share their experiences with others FAR more frequently than happy clients do.

Kimberley Harding

As a former loyal Amazon shareholder and customer, I am very disappointed by Amazon's ill-advised use of software patents. I can no longer support the company until they publically state they will change their practices in this area.

Jason Bandlow

I stopped shopping at Amazon the day the decided to enforce their pathetic 1-click patent against Barnes and Nobel (www.bn.com). I buy everything I need at Fatbrain (www.fatbrain.com) now and I urge others to do the same. I don't miss Amazon one bit.

Tim Drury

I was an enthusiastic Amazon customer and never hesitated to recommend them to my friends. However, given your recent efforts with regards to patenting, I am now doing the opposite whenever possible. Beware the power of memes: "No Pesos for Sr. Bezos."

Tom Maszerowski

I share the belief that Amazon has reaped huge benefits from public domain technologies, and is now repaying the favour by engaging in intellectual theft via absurdly obvious patents. I am informing all of my non-technical friends and family members of Amazon's behaviour, and they can make up their own minds whether to continue giving their business to such a destructive and selfish corporation.

Robert Martin

Amazon used to be a great company that built its success on providing superior service and selection to customers. I am very disappointed that it has abandoned this strategy in favor of using thuggish tactics to squelch competition. I won't be buying from Amazon any more.

Kevin S. Van Horn

I used to be a regular customer to amazon.com. However, I am now participating in the boycott and will continue to encourage others to do so until this issue is reversed. I will not spend my money in a corporation that pursues such anti-competitive policies.

Brandon Schmidt

Since I first heard about this patent and suit, I have turned to other book outlets on the web. I believe that this patent is ludicrous, yet dangerous. I won't be buying from Amazon until the patent is dropped. I will have my information purged from their database.

Charles H. Baker

Both of these patents are a slap in the face of the real Web inventors. Trying to enforce these patents is hypocritical and ultimately self-destructive. I will not buy anything from Amazon while they are trying to use these patants as a cheap trick to stifle competition.

Scott Johnson

I will not be purchasing books from Amazon.com until this gets resolved. While I am not a major source of income to Amazon.com, I am public in my opinions and am speaking out to my friends and family that do make purchases from Amazon.com. I will continue to do so until the patents are dropped.

Chris Riddoch

Stephen

Amazon, I like your service and website in general, but I cannot condone your stifling of innovation with ludicrous patents. I order a considerable number of books each year, from various booksellers, and will be taking my future business elsewhere. I hope your stupid patent is worth all the ill-will and lost business.

Alex Stangl

Since January 29, 1998 I have placed 39 orders worth Ū,215.57 with Amazon and have until this point been a satisfied customer. The above amount does not count my wifes purchases or my company - we have 12 employees. Please rectify the patent issue so we may continue doing business with Amazon, until that time, my business goes elsewhere.

John Wise

I have stopped buying books from Amazon, the place I used to buy all my books for school, in support of RMS' call for a boycott. This patent is pantently absurd. I have also begun actively telling the other students at my school to hold back from buying at Amazon until they sign the rights for these patents over to the Free Software Foundation.

Joseph Lesh

Amazon, the world wide web thanks you for your contribution to the sea of trivial patents and innovation. Certainly a powerful company such as yourself couldn't possibly have needed the freely given hardwork of countless others to get to where you are to day. Congrats on how well you stand on the backs of others and rakin in your dough. Davon Shire.

Davon Shire

The other day I actually went to the bother of driving to Borders and physically walking in and buying some books in person, rather than go online and buy from Amazon.com -- this patent this is just crazy! I will also more regularly visit my local independent hole-in-the-wall bookstore rather than go to Amazon.com, until they come to their senses.

Carole E. Mah

I think that Amazon is engaging in non-productive and non-profitable activities with this pursuit. I hope that they can be dissuaded from endeavoring to coral the WWW for themselves. Further, as Tim stated, Amazon has an obligation to contribute to the Internet. For with out the Internet, where would Amazon be? Sincerely A saddened Amazon customer

Christian Ullman

I have bought quite a few books from Amazon.com, but I will not buy another until both the "Associates Program" patent and the "1 Click" patent have been released. I had thought Amazon.com was above this, and am sorry to discover that I was wrong. I am also encouraging everyone I know to buy from either bn.com (Barnes and Noble online) or a local bookstore rather than amazon.com.

Joey Smith

I've always considered Amazon a excellent company that is responsive to customers' interests, but this patent nonsense would simply give your company a monopoly on certain aspects of the web. This is something I don't want anyone to have, and it's enough to make me avoid buying from you until your policies are changed.

Dru Oja Jay

I'm now convinced that the world has gone mad. Patents on something as widespread as an affiliate program or the use of cookies for shopping are ludicrous. What will come next? Patents on the way Amazon.com is designed, with the tab look.. one that is successful and that many ecommerce sites have mimicked because of the familiarity? I'm hoping that these patents fall over. As a web developer this really concerns me.

Amy Pronovost

I used to buy books at Amazon.com and stopped when I learned about this silly patent. Tim's open letter has prompted me to further action. I will email all my friends about this and ask them to pass the message on. Further, I'll to tell them to take their business elsewhere, such as competitors fatbrain.com and barnesandnoble.com. Personally I have beneifited greatly from Open Source software and the web. Amazon's appropriation of public property for private use I find infuriating.

Clifford V. Moravetz

Most people don't pay much attention to patents and why the patent system was created in the first place. Patents were originally designed so that "inventors" could profit from an invention in which the inventor has invested a lot (time, money, etc) in. 1-Click is not an invention. It is an amalgamation of prior works. Furthermore, it is one which is already in common use. Patents are not for one entity to first claim as prize. Ironically, this is the most common use of (software) patents.

Albert Hopkins

I used to be a faithful and loyal customer of Amazon's. In my experience they have phenomenal service, and reasonable prices. My evangelism has brought Amazon dozens of customers. But being deeply offended by Amazon's patents I felt forced to search out an able competitor. It took over a month trying out several different companies but I have finally found an online bookseller I am satisfied with, and who is now the subject of my evangelism (fatbrain.com). Goodbye Amazon, I will never buy anything from you again.

Jason Grimes

It is because of this issue and other similar ones that I now shop at Fat Brain. It is revolting to me to see that a company that has so much obvious talent and ability would turn its focus to underhanded legal tactics in order to get ahead. Sadly, this is a common tale. In the process of going public and having tremendous success, someone always gets greedy, surrounds the company with a moat of lawyers, and begins to be unscrupulous. You become part of the system, and unless you are very careful and stand by some guiding moral principles, it becomes part of you.

Chris Monson

Amazon should be ashamed of itself. This is a patent that should not have been granted in the first place. The very fact that Amazon feels the need to enforce something of this nature speaks volumes to the fact that Jeff Bezos is just another money-hungry, greedy, capitalist. I strongly doubt that Amazon would be significantly hurt by other web sites using the term "one-click ordering". I mena, come on! Amazon has already reached "critical mass" in terms of brand recognition as an "E-Tailer". Amazon, take this opportunity to take the high road and show a little class. Enough already.

Alberto S. Lopez

I buy lots of books from Amazon, even though you are not always the lowest price, and I have for several years now. I am also a stockholder. I also admire your website from a technology standpoint. I consider a lot of what goes on in the "intellectual property" arena to be classic examples of corporate predatory behavior, and unfortunately it looks like you may be included in this category. I'm not sure if I'm going to totally boycott you yet, but I am shifting some of my purchases elsewhere. I am also circulating material about this to my acquaintances. I hope you change your mind on this issue.

Rick Saling

Dear Mr. Bezos, I enjoy(ed) using Amazon for many years and believe that it does have the best website for buying books and cds. However, I cannot condone the use of the patent offensively. So, I regret to say I've switched to a competitor, Borders.com. I would consider switching back if I observed that stop using this patent in this form of terrorism. It is anti-competitive and immoral. The Internet has been good to you and your stockholders. Thankfully, the inventors of the cookie didn't terrorize you. Every eBusiness person is terrified by your stance on this issue. Please do the right thing. -Ron Perrella

Ron Perrella

Sarah Gandt

I have purchased from Amazon in the past. I find your site extremely convenient and you always have what I want at reasonable prices. However, I will not be shopping at Amazon until you cease your abuse of the US patent system. You are shooting yourself in the foot by angering the customer base that spends hundreds if not thousands of dollars per year on heavyweight computer books such as those from O'Reilly. You are also doing yourself out of valuable word-of-mouth advertising from the "techie" population who until now have been your biggest advocates.<br><br>I urge you to reconsider your position on software patents.<br><br>Respectfully,<br>Bill Duetschler

Bill Duetschler

The continued growth of the internet will largly depend on the success of the ethical struggle to nurture and maintain open standards and systems. Amazon has benefitted greatly from the open ethic of the internet and would not exist in its present form without it. Amazon, as a pioneer of e-commerce, should gratefully and enthusiastically contribute its knowledge to open systems. It is almost incomprehensible that an internet pioneer would create a corporate policy and culture to keep its knowledge proprietary, thereby contributing to degradation of the internet. Success on the internet will be achieved by organizations that base their policy and actions on the development and sharing of management and technological excellence. Internet Organizations that develop a proprietary culture expose the 18th. century thinking of management.

Gordon McAllister

Tim O'Reilly mentions that "that while (you) believe the patent process can sometimes be abused, (you) believe that this is not the case with Amazon's 1-Click patent." While this may be true in a strictly legal sense, it is certainly not the case where the perception of your customers is concerned. Like many of the people signing this open letter, I was once a frequent Amazon customer. And like many of the signatories, I no longer patronize Amazon because of my perception that your 1-Click "technology" (sic) is a gross abuse of the intent of the patent system and the lack of technical savvy on the part of the USPTO. I have ensured that neither my friends or family will do business with Amazon as well. The nugget here is that regardless of how valid your actions appear in the wrapping of legal technicalities, if your customers perceive that you are acting in a manner which is either unfair or counter to their best interests (or both!), you and your company will end up the worse off for it.

Erik Jakowatz

Mark C Smith

Michel Dalal

Wesley Tanaka

Wesley Tanaka

Brett Rosen

Aaron Fuegi

Stan Purington

dave green

Arnaud RÐVEILLON

Rick Dieringer

Ralph Jocham

Ronald Yorgason

Steven O'Toole

Tim's letter speaks for itself.

Steve LePera

Kathleen E. Forden

The associates patent is the last straw; I will boycott Amazon.

Neil Weber

I agree entirely with RMS and Tim. I have closed my account with Amazon.

Edmund GRIMLEY EVANS

I purchase close to a thousand dollars worth of computers and business books per year. I had been dealing with a local bookseller up until recently and was interested in trying out your web service. In light of the current patent issue, I do not believe I can support a company that would take what was given freely, then close the door on others. This behavior is akin to being first in line at a buffet dinner and taking every single item. At a restaurant, you would be considered a pig. As a business, you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Travis Schneider

By these tactics, Amazon.com is on its way to become the other bully in Seattle.

Sriram Venkataraman

I'm boycotting Amazon and urging everyone I know to do the same.

Arthur Parker

I fully support this letter to Amazon. I will shop elsewhere until this matter is resolved.

Holland Guldberg

Amazon has lost a lot of business from me since they started this silly patent crusade.

Troy Klyber

I am a current amazon customer and decry their blatant attempt to stifle competition.

Bill Pfeifer

wake up! You lost another company's business. No clickee, no money.

Bryan Hunt

There is no way this abuse of the patent system will stand up in court. Until then, boycott Amazon.

Neal Groothuis

All my on-line book purchases have been with Amazon. I will use other vendors until the patent is dropped.

Gary Dean

I think Tim has spoken for the community quite eloquently in this case, and deserves our support and our thanks.

Keith Russell

This is a general problem that requires a general solution. However, in the meantime, it is incumbent on the techo-savvy to police themselves.

david Butcher

I used spend about โ a month at Amazon. I will now be taking my busness elsewhere unless they decide to drop their patent.

Brian Richards

It's time to stop these innovation-unfriendly bogus intellectual property patents that make things worse for consumers and developers.

Andrew Huff

The web succeded there others tried, mainly because it was open and non-proprietary. Was the web patented, you would not be here.

Daniel M. German

Not only will I not use Amazon until this patent is dropped. I have requested Amazon to purge all information about me from their database.

Ed Bruce

I agree fully with Tim's Letter and hope that this will make Amazon realize the amount sales lost mainly by people in the technical field.

David Pieniaszek

I routinely spend large amounts of money on books for school. Until Amazon stops their abuse of the patent system, none of this money will be going to them.

Nathan Ingersoll

Jason Mellein

Amazon has shown that it's not out for anyone but itself, and will subvert the legal system to its own gains. I refuse to support such a company.

Wade Minter

I'm still buying stuff from Amazon, but unless they rethink their patent strategy quickly, I'm not sure for how long I'll keep doing it...

Nuno Nunes

It is my hope that amazon (and any other company or indvidual) who trys to own public domain property or ideas "one clicks" them selves into oblivion.

Spike Wetmore

I have been a member of the affiliates program at my personal HTTP://atkeison.org site, but I will switch to another program if Amazon does not change within the week!

John Atkeison

I'm a long-time customer and frequent user of Amazon. I heartily agree that you are stupidly angering people like me when you could be sharing your ideas and winning us over.

Art Mellor

I believe it is time for an about face. There is nothing ignoble about reversing ones views in response to discusion, rather it is quite the opposite. It takes a brave person to do the right thing.

Ian Hodur

I believe that Amazon's attempts to patent such trivial applications of web development technology represent a current and real threat. I won't shop at Amazon until they drop this application.

Tom Janofsky

It is about time that companies begin to act responsibly rather than what is in their short sighted best interests. Amazon, you may think this is an advantage but you are gaining quite a negative image.

Ben Edwards

I am a software designer/programming engineer and I find this kind of patent abuse appalling. I for one am not going to buy anything from Amazon until this behavior is halted. I will also make it a point to spread the word along.

Paul Moreau

I love the convenience and price at Amazon, but I have stopped all purchasing there. I've been going to brick-and-mortar stores again. I'm willing to suffer with higher prices and fewer choices if it can help put an end to this absurdity.

Tofer Chagnon

I recently recieved a letter from Amazon asking why I had not ordered anything from them in so long. I stated then that I was refusing them my business in disgust over their current business practice. Until they reform, they will not get my money.

Scott Boland

I would rather pay twice as much on my technical books than support a company that feels it needs a patent on a trivial process to remain competitive. I will no longer even use Amazon to find books because of your abuses of the patent system. Goodbye internet.

Walter Wicklund

I had contemplated becoming an Amazon customer for some time until I heard about your abusal of the above named patents. I will gladly keep my business and money with bn.com and buy.com and will encourage my family and friends to do the same. You're only hurting yourselves by pushing the patent issues.

Andrew J. Heroff

Tim stated it well - the development of the web depends on the open use of shared technologies. Imagine if someone had patented the link! Where would we be? Amazon needs to get with the program, or they will find themselves left in the dust, either financially or eventually somewhere karmically!

Justin Hall

I never did shop with amazon.com, but I probably never will now, in light of these absurd and greedy patents..it's a shame the so-called "Man of the Year" has to resort to dirty pool to try to get a leg up on the competition..are you going to sue CDnow.com because they have an `Affliates'-like program as well?

Timothy R. Geier

This abuse of the patent system, and the lawsuits that have come from this abuse, have caused me to boycott Amazon.com. In short, last night, when I purchased my mother's birthday present books, I bought them from Barnes and Noble (bn.com), rather than Amazon. I will not do business with Amazon until they release these patents.

Brent E. Edwards

Patenting the trivial hurts the small guy more than the big guy, folks. I'm a small guy. I feel myself restricted by this frivolous patenting - what's next? A patent on using color to highlight something on a web site? Will I get sued? - that I feel entities that abuse IP law deserve boycotting and any other retaliation that is allowed by law.

Thomas Tonino

If this patent is allowed to stand then I will immediately patent the process for relieving the mucus pressure upon one's sinuses as follows: 1) Placing an receptacle object against ones nostrils and: 2) Blowing until all pressure is relieved and the sinuses are clear. Seriously though, I will no longer be spending money with Amazon.

Alex Olshove

I find the actions of Amazon absurd and ruthless. They're trying to destroy what so many have spent so long creating. I used to buy books at Amazon all the time. I thought Barnes and Noble was a joke. Now, I buy all my technical books at bookpool.com or fatbrain.com, and all of my other books at barnesandnoble.com. No more Amazon for me.

Peter Thatcher

I've purchased a little over 񘈨 at Amazon in the past year -- up until RMS called for the boycott, that is. Since then, I've been purchasing through a local "brick and mortar" retailer that matches prices with Amazon. So, Amazon is welcome to keep their patents (until they are voided), and I'll just keep purchasing everything through other vendors.

Robert Butler

I have bought several hundred dollars worth of merchandise from the Amazon web site. since then I have learned about their patent practices. I am glad to say that I have not bought one thing from them since then. It isn't too hard to find other vendors that sell the same stuff, and I think it's worth my time to do so. Go Two Click Shopping! - Marc

Marc Hughes

Ask any IP attorney he/she will tell you this is the easiest it has ever been to get a patent, particularly in the so-called business processes area. I understand the PTO is swamped and very little/thorough prior art investigation is done. I have bought at least 100 books in the past year alone, if Amazon follows this route I will never buy another book from them.

Ayokunle Giwa

Besides short-term gain, I'm unsure as to what Amazon has to gain here. Thus far it's seemed to breed only ill-will and contempt. Fortunately, this feeling is spreading beyond just the technical community and into the mainstream mindset. Hopefully the number and importance of people who are pissed at Amazon will be significant enough to deter them from pursuing this any further.

Benjamin White

I believe software patents, especially frivolous ones like the Amazon ones, are a tragedy to the internet. I will purchase no more products from Amazon as long as they are enforcing their patents. If I hear a public statement from Amazon that they are backing down from their stance on these patents, I will begin purchasing from them again. Until then, I consider it a sin to buy from them.

Brian Hayward

Granted, I'm not up on intellectual property law, I dont see how this patent could possibly be upheld. Lastly, I would think that trying to own a technology that has been freely available in the public domain is a terribly tacky thing to do. Perhaps someone should try to pass off a document delivery mechanism by the patent office, and then license only amazon for implementing the technology as a web server... Maybe they'd then get the picture. Probably not, since money is quite an intoxicating substance.

Adam Prato

I would like to see the magical code you have written for your one click shopping. It seems to me that all you really have to do is store an encrypted credit card number associated with a cookie. (Something I would never do on my sites anyway). I would guess it would take about 10 lines of simple ColdFusion code. I guess maybe I should patent my search bar code that allows visitors to search from a pulldown menu of websites. I have never purchased anything from Amazon ever since you turned into the Wal-Mart of the web. If I need a good book I'll just go to BN.

Kyle Singer

I think the real problem is the patent office not being technologicaly informed enough to be issuing patents like this. I think it is up to the patent office to stay informed on new technology and do the research required before giving patents away to such important things as these. Amazon has further irritated the situation by taking advantage of this major fault in the patent office. If we do not take a stand on this issue not only with Amazon but the patent office we will soon be over-run with unimaginable patents that will kill the growth of the Internet.

Candie Yoder

I used to recommend Amazon as the best place to buy books online. Your customer service and your selection were excellent. My referrals encouraged dozens of your customers. But since you have chosen to abuse the US patent system with patents as obvious as one-click ordering and your associates' program, I can no longer do business with you. Until you pledge to use your patents only for defensive purposes, you can rest assured that I will cost you lots of customers. People in the Internet business understand exactly what you're doing, and many of them are profoundly unhappy.

Eric Kidd

To Jeff Bezos - I used to shop quite a bit at Amazon. I used to think that you guys were at the start of the whole e-commerce revolution, etc. I also encouraged friends and family to use Amazon to buy books, CDs, etc. The day I heard about your patent, I informed all of those friends and family (who look to me as the 'computer expert') that I was boycotting Amazon and immediately switching my business to Barnes and Noble. You are taking advantage of a Patent Office that is not yet up to speed with this new technological world. You have lost mine and my friends business for now, possibly forever. When your patent gets overturned, I may be back or not... Sincerely, William J. Edney

William Edney

With each passing day, my disappointment with the U.S. patent system grows - but not nearly as much as my disappointment in those people who, whenever the opportunity presents itself, will abuse it. I have participated in Richard Stallman's boycott ever since it was called for. Nothing personal, really - I simply hope that each and every company that pulls an "intellectual property" stunt like this (triply so when they didn't invent it in the first place) goes violently and permanently bankrupt. I believe that Mr. Bezos earned his fortune. I believe that Mr. Bezos has also - through this action - declared his company unfit and undeserving of all the support it has received from the online community. But above all else, I believe that Mr. Bezos doesn't care in the slightest what I - or any of us - think any more.

Damien Spracklin

I have been a loyal Amazon customer for years. I have yet to find anyone who can consistently compete with your prices. I have purchased hundreds of dollars worth of books and videos from the Amazon website and I had suggested your site to all of my friends and colleagues. However, I am loyal no more. I have been participating in the boycott since it started. The patent on 1-Click ordering is the one of the most ludicrous abuses of patent law I have ever seen, and Amazon should be ashamed by its conduct. I don't care if I have to pay more money when I buy from other outlets. I will not support any internet business which so selfishly abuses current regulatory systems at the expense of the people who helped carry Amazon through its early years. Your ingratitude toward the people who helped make you a sucess will only hurt you and your company in the long run.

Matt Popke

Kraig A. Olmstead

Looks like I'll be shopping bn.com.

Joe Brandt

A well reasoned letter I am proud to add my name to.

Andre I. Mel'cuk

I've always enjoyed shopping at Amazon but I will find other venues.

Fred Dirkse

Note to Amazon: Technical people are laughing at this patent. What if Apple had patented the phrase "One-Click" when their one-button mouse was introduced? Get with the program.

James Quinby

I certainly hope that trivial software patents get reevaluated in the near future. The supression of ideas and applications by corporations is a scary reality.

Greg Bodnar

While I admire Amazon's tenacious competition, trying to base a patent on cookies is a complete shame and a hoax pulled on the non-technical public. It is tantamount to patenting variables for the temporary storage of information in a computer language - all hogwash. And, to take liberty with a well known phrase, to live by the patent is to die by the patent. Shame on you amazon.com!

Greg Ouzounian

A clear example of "I'm on board with my millions, now pull up the ladder". PS, it's not the patent office's fault. They can be sued if they refuse to grant a patent, but they have nothing to lose if they do grant one, even if it's overturned later. In other words, the system is deliberately designed to work this way. You can thank your corrupt system of special interests and lobbyists for that.

Robert O'Callahan

I am new to purchasing books and music on-line and have only made a few purchase from amazon. No longer. Barnes & Noble gets my business now.

Phil Jones

Frivolous technology patents need to be stopped. Exploiting a patent office that doesn't know any better is not fair or good buisness. When I read that Amazon was trying to patent '1-click' I was furious. Bezos should do the right thing and encourage innovation by dropping the patent persuit, not to mention the fact that he OWES his fortune to the people who invented he technology he is trying to claim credit for, in no small part.

Steve Steele

It is unfortunate that Amazon and Jeff Bezos are choosing the low road. Amazon's sole remedy to me in this case is to place in the public domain (or better yet, under GPL) any of their so-called proprietary "innovations." At that point I might consider buying from Amazon again. Meantime, I can still pick up ORA books in other places, like http://www.fatbrain.com/ and http://www.bn.com/ . Good luck, Jeff. Is the made for TV movie going to be called Dances with Lawyers?

Brian Bilbrey

rediculous patent

Clint Whaley

How Absurd.

Leigh Shoemaker

Amazon are not what they used to be - now too rich and too stupid to see the consequences of this.

Michael Strang

I have moved all my business (hundreds of dollars in the past few months) Barnes & Noble and Borders since I heard of the 1 click patent.

Mark Marsalese

How long will it take for companies to realise that this kind of patent isn't effective, even if ruled valid? All it does is antagonise people. Amazon has totally lost my respect solely because of their patent policy.

Andrew Main

That's what I really like about Tim O'reilly. Complete, clear and to the point! I agree 100% with what Tim has said. But I'm also "voting with my dollars" and taking my business elsewhere. (have been for a while now) I'm also going to encourage my associates, friends and family not to buy from Amazon.

Duane G. Meyer

The fact that patenting a technology of this sort is *possible* says the worst possible things about the intelligence of patent lawyers. But Amazon should have enough of a sense of fairness and good business to realize that this isn't the way to get or keep a competitive edge. I won't buy from Amazon and I'll make sure other people know why.

Julia Flanders

Amazon was my favorite online store. The service was excellent with every purchase I made. I even have a directory in my bookmarks called "Amazon books," for all the books I intended to purchase from them. I will now be buying all those books from their competitors. I continue to search the Amazon website for the excellent commentary, but I've not made a single purchase from them since the first patent action.

Dennis Peterson

Can't wait to see amazon patent the entire e-commerce side of the internet. The real issue is not just the patent but your Amazon's use of the patent. If they try to enfore it they will get a massive amount of bad publicity. Amazon's entire play online has always been there Web focused, friendly neighbor based reputation. Enforcing patents to eliminate potential competitors is just doing to opposite of what your PR agencies tell us. If Amazon enforces it will lose in court and it will lose in the PR game. Either way the will feel it on the bottom line.

Sam Sorenson

In 1999, there was a brief boycott of Amazon when Amazon's legal counsel asked inappropriate questions about the sexual orientation of the owners of Amazon Bookstore, a feminist bookstore which has been around since the 1970's. Since the case was settled out of court, I reluctantly gave Amazon another chance. Now there's the much larger issue of patenting completely obvious uses of technologies which others made available for free. If Amazon admits that it has made a bad mistake and relinquishes the patents willingly, even now I will give them another chance. However, if Amazon persists, and when the courts hold the patent to be invalid (which seems very likely), it will be clear that Amazon really thought it has a right to these patents. If this happens, it will be my decision to refuse to do business with Amazon for the rest of my life. There comes a point where you don't get any more chances.

Sean Crist

Unless and until you stop enforcement your 1-Click and Associates Program patents I will make every effort to avoid shopping at Amazon.com. I will also encourage others to do the same.

Brooks Davis

Anthony Meyer

I'm joining the boycott as well.

Steve Pierce

I completely agree with this letter, and I will also support the RMS boycott.

Michael T. Gallagher

Your patent is nothing more than plagiarism; as a result, I will do no business with Amazon.

Josh Neal

May this, my support and dislike of "capitolizers" do some good in the world of FREE and OPEN tought and invention.

Patrick Moore

One less customer.

Mike Smoot

񘈨/yr+ in book sales will start migrating towards a company that is more innovation friendly. -Mark

Mark Interrante

We have all had these naive hopes that maybe, just maybe this once business wouldn't come in and trash a beautiful environment.

Peter M. Kane

I find your web site useful for seeing opinions on books. It's a shame that now I feel obligated to go someplace else to make the purchase.

Fred Krogh

We do need a lot of technical literature, being a company whose success is based on continuing innovation. It looks as if we would better turn elsewhere for 'innovation friendly' suppliers now that this 'patent' exists.

AGS Applied Geo-Systems Technology

You took our money, we didn't mind - we thought you were a cool company. Now you're betraying us. I actually bought a book on cookies and saving user prefs before you filed this wierd patent. Perhaps you should patent underlined links?

Rob Buijs

I am about to set up a web site which will include literature, philosophy, history, geography and art sections, as well as being connected to a major teaching institution. I had planned to add an Amazon link to the home page, but now it will be BOL.

Madelaine Davidson

I can't believe that a company I've enjoyed doing business with would sink to this level. Amazon provides a great service, but this isn't the right way to grow your business; there are easy ways to do almost the same thing which would not technically violate your patent.

Roger Walkup

A character in "Wall Street" said, "Create something! Don't live off buying and selling alone." Enough has been said on the subject of patents. The question is, what has Amazon given back to the web that it has gained so much from? Maybe that's an old fashioned idea. Giving. Or is it?

Pandurang Rao

The worst thing is that whoever at Amazon suggested applying for this pattern must have known it's wrong, morally and technically to apply for something so obvious and previously used. In any case, I stopped buing books from Amazon as of December, 1999. Amazon, please delete my records from your database, my name and e-mail is above.

Milan Zimmermann

It is unfortunate to see an industry leader such as Amazon embarking on the distasteful path of trivial software patents. As such, I and many others will take our business elsewhere. In addition, I recommend the decision makers of Amazon read the Cluetrain Manifesto and heed its warning, for it applies directly to the consequences of these wrongs being committed.

Alexander Kent

So, a company who patents software which was not originally created by them, on ideas thought up by other people, who is using the patent to bully their way to the top of its industry. Hrm, that sounds a lot like another large company who we all know and hate for their stranglehold on the personal computer OS market. And we all know how much we do anything to not have to use that other company's products.

Gary Margiotta

OOPS! Looks like you have 'accidentaly' made some people mad at you by doing something of questionable ethics...and it seems likely that some of those people are net savy programmers... now lets see, where did I put that list of web sites that were under attack a few weeks ago... I guess that you can be glad that most people have a sense of ethics and try to be good net citizens. It works out best if everyone cooperates...tit-for-tat...Golden rule... Good & Bad Karma, whatever. You could blame it on the 'lawyers'...people would understand...

Bill Mothershead

I give Amazon kudos for acquiring such a wonderful defensive patent. Unfortunately, defensive patents are basically a requirement currently, just to block other companies from manipulating the patent process to stifle creativity on the Internet (and your companies trivial practices). The proper course of action now requires Amazon to give the right to use this Patent away to the Internet at-large, or dissolve the Patent all together. This would leave us with the net effect of what should have been a clear case of Prior Art and trivial "innovation". Do this, and I believe the technical community will appreciate your move.

Mike Dawson

That you would patent this as an original "invention" make it appear that your organization is too clueless to understand original thinking when you see it. The initial success of your organization occurred because of some great original thinking. That you can no longer recognize original thinking suggests that Amazon is in trouble as a customer service expert -- and more distinctly -- as a long term business investment. The value of Amazon stock is based largely on its promise for the future, not on current earnings, but on its "intellectual" capital. The capital is apparently running out.

Mike Meyer

I remember using Amazon.com for the first time several years ago. Since then, I have purchased most of my books and CDs from them. Until the 1-Click patent. Now, I buy from bn.com and fatbrain.com, and educate my friends and family against using Amazon.com for any purchases. The Affiliates patent is the nail in the coffin, and is quickly inspiring me to become much more vocal in my opposition to Amazon.com and software patents, in general. I hope the stock market crashes hard with Amazon.com leading the way. I hope one day I'll read in a magazine (purchased from B&N) about how Jeff Bezos is now working at the local car wash to make ends meet since Amazon.com went belly-up and his new software company was sued for patent infringement.

John Zachary

Mr. Bezos, If anything, you might be entitled to a trademark or copyright for 'one-click shopping' but nothing more. Is this part of your grand scheme to get Amazon.com profitable by litigation against anyone who offers the ability to purchase over the web? Amazon certainly did not create the idea and to have the arrogance to believe that you are entitled to an enforceable patent, in anyone's eyes is plain wrong. But the real injustice was done the pinheads in the courts that granted it, as they have clearly not done their homework. Those same courts will, I believe, prove that the patent you have been granted will be unenforceable and ultimately repealed. What's next, a patent on the term 'shopping cart'? I fully agree with Mr. O'Reilly's comments and will fully support my colleagues in our collective boycott of Amazon.com. Mr. Bezo's, as the CEO of an company, one of your key duties is to ensure a return on the investment for the shareholders, so keep this in mind as you make further decisions that will drive business away from your company. Respectfully, Glenn K. Schulke

Glenn K. Schulke

I just saw the 'Silicon Summit' show on MSNBC where John Markoff (from Kevin Mitnick fame, or should I say, Kevin Mitnick exploitation) asked Jeff Bezos about the 1-Click patent issue. Jeff replied that they don't have a patent on 1-Click and that he would not discuss it. My mouth dropped. I used to spend quite a bit of money at Amazon, but with their Affiliate patent as well as Jeff's comments on tv... I just can't endore or buy from them and feel good about myself. It's really pissed me off! I, single-handedly, developed the most advanced e-commerce system for the life sciences industry. And to have Amazon getting patents on processes that are not only obvious, but essential for the growth of commerce on the web, is just ridiculous. So, to take things a step further, I've also boycotted companies Amazon has invested in. This includes drugstore.com and kozmo.com, two very cool sites. I've let all my relatives and friends know of the situation and urged them to do the same. Even if Amazon withdraws the patents, I don't know if I'll go back... Jason Lee, Lead Developer, Biospace.com

Jason Lee

Chip Olson

Matthew Barry

Daniel Gredler

Claus Ekstroem

Tucker Goodrich

Joe Friend

Stephen Jolly

Dave Barron

bradbury taylor

Guntis Glinavs

Chason Chaffin

Benjamin Gittins

Liam S Coughlin

As I turn to look at my bookshelf, I see hundreds, if not a thousand plus, of dollars worth of books purchased from you. On my desk sits the Amazon.com insulated coffee cup which I received from Amazon for Christmas, 1996. My last order exceeded US趆. As I write this, I am listening to Hendrix' "blues" which I recently purchased from you. By trade, I am an Information Architect; the free use of cookies is an easy way to establish persistent state and has been so for many years. Your patent threatens to close avenues of resources which I depend upon to generate the income which allows me to spend so much money with you. I won't need to boycott you; if you persist, I won't be able to afford you. Does it have something to do with all of that rain in Washington that makes companies act like 800 pound gorillas?

Joe Stein

Vijay Karunamurthy

Shawn A. Roske

Brian Greenberg

Mitch Armistead

Indirajith Meganathan

Jonathan Westmuckett

I agree.

Kathryn Schultz Miller

i support the RMS boycott.

Edward Wetherell

The patent(s) are rediculous, and have reaffirmed my commitment not to by from Amazon.

Phillip Fox

Well stated Tim. I have never joined any sort of boycott before, but this will be my first.

Rich Peiffer

I used to buy my books from Amazon. I switched a while ago to buying from Fatbrain due to this patent.

Greg White

I regret to say that I can no longer in good conscience buy from amazon.com, your abuse of patent law disgusts me in inumerable ways.

Kevan Shea

Amazon.com's efforts to acquire and enforce unjustified and unearned patents completely destroys their reputation.

Scott Horn

You can be sure that I will ask AMAZON.com to remove my account...I WILL never purchase anymore books, videos, OR DVD from AMAZON.

David Choi

The one-click patentis absurd. I have removed all links, including my Associates links, regarding Amazon from my web site.

Alex Russell

Amazon's patent is ridiculous, and I'm in full agreement with this protest. Amazone has gone from a cool startup, to a corporate entity, and only seems to rudimentarily understand what made their success possible - the very freedom of innovation they are now trying to crush. Time to hit this newly turned corporate entity where it hurts -- it's wallet. There's plenty of other places to buy books and other items online. Maybe I'll come back to Amazon when they give up this silly idea.

Matt Hall

One would think a company wholly dependent on the internet would care more for the health of the internet than this.

Michael Stover

I've used BN.com for most of my book purchases since I'm an investor of theirs. This move by Amazon just gives me more reason to stay with BN.com.

Marc Gallagher

I have spent nearly 񘈨 at Amazon over the last few years, but I will not be doing that anymore. I will be switching to one of their competitors.

Jake Edge

Two words "Prior art". Not only that, but it's a patent of an obvious idea. Not only that but it's a cheesy way to try to get a leg up on your competition. Andrew Smith

votex

I've already contacted Amazon and asked them to remove my Wish List and close my account. Let's all hope they respond to the will of the people and do the right thing!

Rod Myers

Amazon.com is a wonderful site, but I will not be shopping there as long as they continue their practice of frivolous patents. Ideas are meant to be shared, not hidden.

Billy Mabray

You guys are a leader in the online-retail industry. With that comes the responibility. Do the right thing and use your patents to keep the web free. Happy web users actually buy things.

Chad Brewbaker

I have been an Amazon customer in the past, but will hold off on any further purchaces until it is clear that Amazon will not be using my money to enforce such unfortunate patents.

Aaron Sherman

I have bought my last book from Amazon.com There are too many other on-line book companies that aren't trying to pull the garbage Amazon.com is trying to get away with.

Joshua Skillings

Joseph Benavidez

I am sadden to see that a company I considered one of the forefathers in ecommerce is so short sighted, the money was comming but you got greedy! Now you will no longer get my money!

Laurel Campbell

I have returned my most recent order to Amazon and am now shopping exclusively at competitors' sites. I sometimes use Amazon's site for product information, and then click over to another store to buy. Gotta love the web.

Adam Stein

I pledge not to buy any more products from Amazon until they withdraw their patents. Last year I spent several hundred dollars there. Luckily there is still plenty of competition in this market, so I have plenty of other options.

Brian Buck

Surely you cannot ignore the amount of people that are displeased with your "patent(s)". This letter alone is evidence that both your customers and potential customers will think more than twice before shopping with you.

Kevin N Shallow

I wish companies would compete based on the quality of their service and products, not by how many lawyers they employ. Trying to acquire patents on simple and obvious concepts is not a good way to improve your service or products!

Michael Hentges

I have to agree with Tim's comments and with Dave Winer that if the response is for everyone to get their own patents, we will all be using more lawyers than developers. The fun of developing for the Internet will be gone. <http://davenet.userland.com/2000/02/28/noMorePesosForSenorBezos>

Ian Roberts

I have to agree with Tim's comments and with Dave Winer that if this the response is for everyone to get their own patents, we will all be using more lawyers than developers. The fun of developing for the Internet will be gone. <http://davenet.userland.com/2000/02/28/noMorePesosForSenorBezos>

Ian Roberts

As a software developer, you have insulted me and all of the real web pioneers that GAVE you the tools of your success. Yes, _GAVE_. As a customer, I don't buy from Amazon anymore. Period. Oh, and I'm very chatty to all my friends about WHY. Oh, and I have a lot of friends.

Earl Higgins

Software patents are bad enough; patents on obvious Web technologies are absolutely ridiculous. I have bought books worth several hundred dollars since Amazon received the patent. None of those books came from Amazon, and this will continue to be the case until I see some clear change in policy.

Reuven M. Lerner

I'd agree with Amazon if they'd come up with a new technology, but all they've come up with is a marketing slogan for a trivial use of existing technology. By all means Trademark "1-Click", by all means copyright the code, but a patent? You've got to be kidding. In the meantime, I'll buy my books elsewhere.

Tony Smith

I support Tim O'Reilly wholeheartedly on this issue. I think that while a boycott is morally the right thing to do it will have little effect. Most customers of Amazon would not understand the issue and not follow the boycott. Amazon is hurting its long term profitability and Tim O'Reilly's article and letter sum it up nicely.

Elmar S. Heeb

I understand that you had to apply for the patents to prevent your competition from doing the same thing. The initial blame lies with the patent office for issuing a patent. Now that that is over and done with, the best way to win customers from your competition is not by enforcing the patent, but by giving free use to anyone who wants it.

Eric Wagoner

Check my account. I'm a regular customer but won't be one again until you change your direction on this patent noise. The basic rule for patents should be: "If you can step on it and break it, you can patent it". I have a patent. I'm amazed that your patent passed muster. Perhaps we need technical reviews by advisory boards because, clearly, the patent office is lost.

Tim Daly

To Mr. Bezos: I firmly agree with all that Mr. O'Reilly has stated. You are "pissing in the well," as he puts it. I am not necessarily a frequent customer of yours, although I have bought some books from you in the past, and have even done so after Mr. Stallman first began urging his boycott. But if you and your company continue in this vein with regard to patents, I shall be forced to move my business to one of your competitors.

Carson Chittom

Both one click ordering/shopping and affiliate programs have been used by a number of commercial web sites for a couple of years now, even before Amazon.com was widely known. Software patents of these kinds can only harm the online community in the long run by stiffling innovation. It would be an excellent sign of faith if Amazon.com would release these patents, and I'm certain that by doing so, the Free Software community would stop our current boycot.

Roger Messier

I have been a regular customer of Amazon for several years. But because of their patent nonsense, my business will be going to fatbrain.com and my local bookstores and CD stores until they back down. It costs me nothing to change vendors; I had stayed with Amazon because I liked them, and wanted to encourage this pioneering business. But the good will has dried up, at least on my end. There are other competitors in every Amazon marketplace of which I know. Those competitors will get my business.

Patrick Lamb

1-Click ordering is scary at best, offering way too easy of a conduit for purchasing books or merchandise online. I have never used the 1-click feature, or any other on the amazon.com web site, besides checking out with a shopping cart. You should patent this. At least you can then bully 95% of the online retailers. Holding and enforcing patents on IP that you didn't even create is ludicrious at best. But the denial of your conscience for your wallet makes amazon.com's actions unacceptable.

Eric Hoffman

Like most of the rest of those who have signed this petition, I will henceforth not conduct business with your company. Furthermore, I've been successful over the past few months in convincing several other people to do likewise. Ill will is something that is extremely hard to overcome. Word of mouth advertizing (especially negative kinds) can grow exponentially. There are plenty of places that sell books on the internet. Only an idiot would have granted your patent in the first place as it is obvious in the extreme. You can patent a mouse trap. You should not be able to patent trapping mice.

Alan Pugh

I agree with Tim about Amazon's flagrant abuse of the patent system. While the patent office should certainly know better, it is apparently beyond our collective abilities to appeal to their common sense, since the awarding of far-reaching and obvious software patents goes on. I will therefore boycott Amazon and any other company that knowingly abuses this unfortunate hole in our nation's commercial oversight. I urge Amazon to give up on the issue of the 1-Click patent. It is true that Amazon has already unavoidably affected any good will that the technological community had for them; however, I believe that acting in good faith from this point on will eventually turn that negative opinion.

David Fay

Jeff Grollo

Chris Shabsin

Robert Lucier

Cameron Purvis

Brian Campbell

david m. reville

Jason Werpy

Mark Geary

Einar Rune Haugnes

Andrew Waltman

Wade Leftwich

Christopher Farnham

Karl Braun

Dan Wilson

Catherine Hartley

Allen Hutchison

Florian Neuburger

Michael E. Meyers

Amazon has lost my business.

Grant Warkentin

My wife and I have been, and will continue, boycotting.

Eric Fitton

Amazon, you've lost me as a customer - stop the madness!

Tom Novak

Amazon is not the first to think of this idea and not the first to use it, only the first to use their lawyers to steal it. It's no fun in the Marketing Sandbox when someone steals all the shovels.

Marion Flanagan

I agree fully with the Letter by Tim and hope that this will make Amazon realize the error of their ways.

David Cornely

I too, support the RMS boycott. I have not purchased anything from amazon.com since 12/20/99.

Jim Campbell

Jeff, I'm disappointed that you took this tactic. Try doing something original and I'll back you 100%.

Doug Schwartz

One of the most arrogant attempts to use the law to stifle the spirit of the internet to have ever come along.

Paul Wear, Jr.

Amazon has lost my business until they learn to play well with others.

Lloyd Sommerer

I am no longer buying any products from Amazon. I am no longer visiting Amazon's web site. I am advising everyone I know to do the same.

Terence Mark

I am no longer buying any products from Amazon. I am no longer visiting Amazon's web site. I am advising everyone I know to do the same.

Terence Mark

I'll keep it short. I spent almost 񘘐 with Amazon.com last year. No more, bn.com will get my business. Absolutely reprehensible.

L Hill

I have not bought from Amazon since they did this patent. I would be happy to buy from them again if they drop it. Paul Vincent Craven

Paul Vincent Craven

I've ordered 46 books, CDs, toys, etc. from Amazon over the last 3 years, but I won't be buying anything else until they drop this stupid patent.

Michael P. Persons

Amazon has lost my business, and my referrals. This loss shall occur for as long after the 1-click patent is gone as the 1-click patent existed.

Russell Billings

The two patents recently given to Amazon are a travesty, and can only harm the field/industry in the long run. Please, let common sense prevail here!

Mike Miller

I wholeheartedly agree with Tim O'Reiley's argument against Amazon.com's two recent patent filings. They are a travesty in the face of the open world of the Internet.

Aaron Dershem

Hey Jeff--what about buttons and listboxes, too?

Dale Goetsch

Simone Paddock

I agree with Tim O'Reilly on this. Please return your focus to meeting the needs of your customers, supporting open standards, and creating the best implementation of them.

Kathleen Sinnott

It is unclear to me how anything in the Amazon business model requires such intellectual thievery. I am a new Amazon customer but will not be for long if this practice of patenting stolen ideas persists.

Stuart Popejoy

I've purchased books from Amazon for home and my place of employment. I'm so fed up with this "patent fever" of theirs, I don't think I'll buy from them EVER again. Screw you Jeff! BTW, excellent prose Tim!

Doug Smoak

Tim, thanks for saying something. I've been disturbed by Amazon's patent abuses for some time, and I can thankfully say that I've stopped buying from them as a result. I encourage others to do the same.

Jon Shiring

I don't have anything to say that hasn't already been said by others, but I wanted to add my voice to the protest. Ultimately, I hope that the patent office wises up and realizes how much prior art there is in the computer field.

John Welch

David Horsey

How does that go again? If I tell Ten people and each of them tells Ten people, etc...etc... Amazon, don't worry, once everyone has stopped buying books from you, maybe you'll be able to make money from collecting on your patents.

Aaron Shackelford

Amazon has always provided great service and value to its customers, including myself. It's unfortunate that you would pursue such an obviously misguided course even when confronted with a sound argument such as Tim O'Reilly and others have made. I will be clicking at least twice to make purchases as long as Amazon continues on this ill-advised course.

Kris Lilley

I will not buy from Amazon while this patent nonsense is still active. I further have convinced the rest of my family (a great deal of whom are online, and find ordering online convenient) not to shop at Amazon anymore. I've pointed them to places like Barnes & Noble instead.

Galadriel Billington

I strongly agree that Amazon has patented something that was created and in use by other people and companies. I think that this patent should never have been granted.

Jeff Plummer

You will note that I AM an Amazon customer, and though I have directed many of my companions to your services (which you have benefitted GREATLY!), I find your stance repugnant, and, as the letter states, forwarding a process that will unravel the foundation upon which you sit.

Tom Payne

</i><!-- attempt to fix the formatting of an earlier response --> I love Amazon.com and use it often. Now, because of Amazon's aggressive aggrandizement of public domain intellectual property, I feel that I must stop using Amazon.com, despite all the convenience it offers.

Jeffrey Henning

Amazon.com was my favorite online book provider. Not just books, but music, videos, and everything else. I really enjoyed a one stop solution. Now, thanks to the "1-Click" patent I will look elsewhere for my needs. If Amazon ceases their current actions I may begin shopping there again. Maybe not. As my mother tells me - once trust is lost it is very hard to regain.

Joseph Martin

As an Internet Strategist, I buy a large number of books to keep up the flow of new information and keep myself current. As a web developer since 1995, I know that the web was built on people improving each others "neat web hacks". Given Amazon's recent behavior, I can't possibly consider buying anything else from a company that so recklessly disregards that ethic.

Cushing Whitney

Abuses, like this, of the U.S. patent system should be considered criminal. Your actions are speaking louder than any words. With the attempted enforcement of this patent, you are effectively saying: "We will use whatever means necessary to keep our lead in the eCommerce world, even if it means squashing the open community that created 99% of the technology we base our business on."

Steve Weinrich

Amazon used to be the first place I went to order books (including before physical stores). I've spent over a ũ,000 in the last year on computer books alone, and consider Amazon to be the easiest way to get book reviews and books. I will never by another book from Amazon and will encourage every one I know not to as long as patent abuses continue. This disgraceful abuse of patents is absolutely unacceptable.

David Richardson

Tim O'Reilly put it quite well. Amazon has not developed anything new, and their patent is the equivelant of patenting crushed ice. Cookies, like ice crushers, might be patentable, but not the product, or ice, that is the inevitable result. I hope Amazon backs off from this strategy and owes up to it's mistake. Give Amazon back to the technical people who built it, not the Marketing people who are driving it into the ground.

A Hoffman

Until Amazon began pursuing this ridiculous patent, I was a loyal customer who didn't bother to look any further for what I needed. Pursuing this one-click patent has made me look around a bit - as it turns out, the competition (FatBrain.com in this case) has quite a good selection of technical books (Including the O'Reilly line). So, until Amazon gives up wasting everyone's time and money on these foolish court cases, I'll be buying elsewhere.

Michael Kohne

I am a big fan of amazon.com, and I often have made use of their wonderful sight to browse for books and make online purchases. However, I believe that amazon.com is not acting in the best interests of the Internet community as a whole when is attempts to patent trivial web technology. In addition, this irresponsible use of the patent system further deteriorates its usefullness as a way to register true inovations. For these reasons I do not intend to purchase anything from amazon.com until they change their strategy on this issue.

Nick Bartoli

I have not purchased anything from Amazon since RMS asked the community to boycott Amazon and you can be sure the way things are going you won't be getting my money anytime soon. It has ben tough I have spent a good deal of money at Amazon but there are other places to shop: http://www.bn.com/ http://www.fatbrain.com/ http://www.booksamillion.com/ http://www.chapters.ca/ http://www.uk.bol.com/ http://www.borders.com/ and there are more I just don't know them.

Shafik Yaghmour

I'm a graduate student in computer graphics; I buy most of my technical books online. Patents like this are a slap in the face to two groups which matter very much to me -- the open source movement and the academic research community (without which the Web wouldn't exist in the first place). 1-Click is a trivial application of an idea (namely cookies) placed into the public domain. Unless and until the patent is overturned (or is no longer enforced), I feel obliged to take my business elsewhere.

Andy Wilson

As someone who buys a LOT of books both personally and for the IT department I work in, I have to say that Amazon has, until now, always been my choice of vendors. The customer service is easier, the website is more detailed, and the shipping practices are better than any other online booksellers that I've encountered. Until this patent nonsense is dropped, however, I'm willing to go through the extra hassle of ordering from other vendors. Meanwhile, I'll still be using Amazon's website to look up details & reviews on books I'm considering purchasing. Amazon, this is NOT a good business move on your part!

Raaven O'Quinn

Sir: I recently helped design a web site for a contest promoting a game. The contest won second place. During the design process, we decided to set up a link to an online retailer for the ordering of books related to the game (which is based on a reasonably famous role-playing game). When the question of who to go with came up, we spoke a few times. Amazon was rejected as the result of the 1-click patent. Our logs indicated at least 10 orders from our actual affilate - and we do not know how much was sold per order. Perhaps if more sites with your affiliations turned it to someone else, you would begin to notice the situation changing.

Geoffrey M. Depew

I must say I was very dissappointed when this whole mess started out. I decided to send Amazon.com an email explaining my dissappointment, and my reason for ceasing to purchase from them. I've since found out, though, that there are better prices elsewhere anyway. Between bn.com and buy.com I get everything I used to from amazon and almost always for cheaper than amazon can offer. I'm still dissappointed in their chosen business tactics, but it's not hurting me at all to simply stop buying from them. So I urge anybody else reading this to do the same. (And I commend anybody who read *this* far down the page of comments ... wow, you've got more patience than I, that's all I can say.)

Thomas Trelvik

Initially I was a large Amazon.com booster. I purchased books from Amazon even though the shipping made your prices more expensive than I could get at the bookstore because I believed that Amazon was the way of the future. I am most disappointed in the effort to enforce a patent of an obvious use of cookies. Any person with coding experience will find the "1-click" technology to be self-evident. I have now ceased purchasing anything from Amazon.com and have moved my spending to sites such as fatbrain.com and Barnes & Noble simply because they are not Amazon. This is a pity since I found the Amazon site superior in nearly all ways, except the moral one of course. Andrew Benson Network Admin

Andrew Benson

This whole issue is such an insult to the technical community. I still can't believe that you're actually pursuing this course of action. The fact that somebody has royally screwed up at the patent office is dis-heartening. But to see a corporation that I thought was above this blatently excercise a right that it never posessed is plain sickening. I didn't always feel this way - oh no... I've got several books bought from amazon sitting right next to me as I type, but will I ever shop there again? NOT IF MY LIFE DEPENDED ON IT. I guess amazon is more effected by competition than I though and quite frankly, I'd love to see them bankrupt. If you want to support a truly viable technical book alternative, try out bookpool.com - they sell technical books and that's all. No, you can't get your favorite Pokeman cards there, but who uses amazon for that anyway? I still can't believe it.....

Joel Brubaker

The US patent system now *encourages* the filing of such frivolous patents: - A frivolous patent such as the Amazon patent is a powerful weapon against existing or potential competitors. It reduces their chances to get capital (who wants to invest in a lawsuit?). The weapon relies on the possibility that a trial would go badly wrong and award damages for willful infringement. Even if the probability of such an event is low, it is high enough to create a lot of pressure. - Filing more frivolous patents is the best defense against other patents (frivolous or not). It gives you chips to trade in the event of a patent attack... - There is no downside on filing frivolous patents. It is very unlikely that you will get fined for filing a frivolous patent. Proving that you did so knowingly is close to impossible. Therefore something must be done. - Leon Bottou (speaking in my name)

Leon Bottou

It is sad to see such a great company using such low tactics to succeed in their marketplace. Over the last few months, I cannot recall the number of times (well over 20) that I've been wanting to buy books or even other articles (Amazon doesn't just sell books anymore) from Amazon. Unfortunately, because of their practices, I've had to restrain myself and use competitors (I had never been to Barnes & Nobles' site www.bn.com until I had to find an alternative to Amazon) to do order my books. I've shared my views with my wife and friends and although they may not go as far as signing this petition, they have also decided to boycott Amazon after hearing my arguments (which are certainly nothing new to you if you are reading this). I hope that Amazon realises their error. I would so easilly and willingly switch to a real marketing machine for them if they were simply willing to pull away from these silly patents. Wake up Amazon! You have so many things that makes me want to be you customer. Christian Saucier Atlanta, GA.

Christian Saucier

Geoff Catlin

Howard Cheng

Mitchell Hall

Johan Eriksson

Frank Bodmann

Neal Mooers

Sandi Steding

Bruce C. Denman

Alex Pukinskis

David Medinets

David Hunt

Guy Albertelli II

Andrew Brown

Levi Purvis

Alex Lindgren

Andrew Brown

Larry D. Burton

Scott E. Johnson

29-Feb-2000

William B. Sharrock

I fully intend to boycott Amazon until this is resolved.

Richard Smith

While Amazon is patenting software, whether it is enforcing those patents or not, I will not buy anything from them.

Alison Hawke

Jeff, This claim will weaken the very medium that helped you and your business become succesful. Why don't you try showing some gratitude instead?

Victor J. Zuylen

I agree with Mr. O'Reilly and ask Amazon to abandon these patents. I am a long time customer of Amazon, but will boycott them until they cease chasing these patents.

Paul Firgens

If Amazon makes a mockery of intellectual property rights, then so shall the individuals. Why buy from Amazon when you can copy a book from your neighbor? A former Amazon customer,

Peter Constantine

I strongly protest the idea of patenting such trivial things which are far from innovations. This is just an attempt to kill the competition. Something Microsoft has taught us all.

Nadeem Hasan

I agree with Tim O'Reilly's assessment that the 1-click patent is a trivial and obvious application of something that was known within the WWW. I shall boycott Amazon until there is a change in policy.

Kumar Balachandran

I have been boycotting Amazon.com since October, and I will continue to do so until amazon withdraws its patent suit against B&N. I was a good customer Mr. Bezos, and I would like to return.

Chris Rohlfs

Your "one-click" patent is absurd and a slap in the face to those who have created the internet on which you have made your fortune. Your competitors will continue to enjoy my patronage until you remedy this madness.

Andrew Parker

I hope the folks at Amazon come to their senses - We have enjoyed spending our money there in the past, and want to return as customers in future, but enforcing these ridiculous patents is a waste of resources.

Faith Loewen

A patent on the concept of your affiliates program? A patent on a trivial usage of Netscape's cookie protocol? Shame on all of you. I'm with Richard Stallman on this one: Amazon, you don't deserve my patronage.

Matthew Benjamin

In the so-called "Internet age," service is more important than monopolizing the software industry. Acts like these will only contribute to Amazon's fall from power. Please don't make all your decisions in the name of the holy dollar.

Andy Cox

Mr. Bezos, Your frivolous patents constitute a slap in the face of all the generous contributors to the software/networking/internet/www world that made your business possible. I do not intend to give you any more of my business.

Scott D. Webster

It's amazing that these patents were granted. Reflects poorly on the PTO and also reflects poorly on Amazon. I will be looking elsewhere to purchase books, though I am somewhat disappointed since I've always received prompt and reliable service from Amazon in the past.

Jesse Hong

I think Amazon is the best. They have been my prefered vendor for everything they carry. I am so disappointed about these ridiculous patents they are obtaining. I feel I have no choice but to look to other vendors for my needs unless (or until)Amazon drops this effort.

Dennis Kelley

I always compare prices on many sites when I order a book, and almost always order from Amazon because of their great service and quick response. After this, I will be using other sites to get my books/CDs/movies/etc online. There's still a chance for Amazon to fix things if they will just think about their customer base.

Jake Williams

I have not done any web programming at all except for a few cgi scripts. That being said however, I think that after about a week I could produce a "one-click" feature on a website just based on the description. I don't see how this got patented in the first place, and I don't know how Amazon can honestly stand up and defend what clearly is not innovation.

Floyd Walker

Let's see - Short-term benefit: Restrict competitors from using one-click purchasing and referrals Short-term detriment: Piss off customers and competitors Long-term benefit: None (patents will be revoked) Long-term detriment: Piss off customers and competitors What are you thinking? You have the opportunity to make it right, and perhaps generate goodwill. Swallow your (false) pride and do the right thing.

Pete Shay

As the owner of Studio B Literary Agency www.studiob.com that represents over 150 technical authors, I agree completely with Tim's sentiments. Amazon is a great company, and will remain a great company if it continues to compete openly without setting up unnecessary and harmful barriers. Amazon - You ARE the 500 pound guerilla. You don't need to put a padlock on the bananas in order to horde them.

David Rogelberg

Thank you Mr O'Reilly for writing this letter. I wish to give Amazon the benefit of the doubt on this matter, hoever their actions toward B&N indicate that their intentions are not honorable with regards to these patents. I will not be purchasing from Amazon at all, unless they resolve this in a timely and acceptable manner. Even if the patents are found to be invalid, should Amazon continue to pursue this, I will continue to discourage others from purchasing using Amazon.

Christopher McKinley

The real injustice is that patent offices exist that grant such patents. As long as such terrible mistakes can happen without being overruled, we will have to fight similar cases again and again. Of course, I'm boycotting Amazon now, but I think of the thousands of other patents that have been granted in a similar way that do not find a lobby fighting against them. What's up, Mr. Bezos, would you raise a fund to fight patents granted by clueless patent offices worldwide? You have made your proof that such a fund is urgently needed. Get your head out of this silly case with a clever initiative.

Andreas Koenig

I have in the past bought books from Amazon. I even bought books for a college course I was taking through Amazon, rather than the school bookstore. My wife is an avid reader who has is the past bought loads of books (via the above email address) from you. But if you check your records you may notice that no books have been bought via that email address over the last few months, including the Christmas season. That is no accident. During that time we bought no less than 12 books through your competitors. I view software patents as inherently evil. You are of course withing your rights to take them out and use them a vigourously as you can. But my family will buy *no* books through Amazon while you persist in this behavior. Neither will anyone else that it is within my power to convince.

Ted Dennison

The only reason I've never tried other book sales sites is because Amazon's setup seemed quite elegant. I liked your eyes program, particularly since it was a validation of something I'd proposed to a former employer for relationship marketing several months before you adopted it, and I enjoyed having all my past mailing addresses ready for my next delivery. I will now take the time to use other online sellers. How can you claim that simply because you're using a cookie rather than a user name/password to access database information that 1-click is non-obvious? I hope you succeed in taking this to court. When you loose, I hope congress will take a look at the patent system and see there is a need for change. I also hope private companies will create searchable library services with prior art to fight these patent lawsuits so that resources can once again be applied toward companies competing based upon who has the best service and support, not who holds the most patents.

John David Thomas

To Mr. Bezos et al at Amazon, I concur with Tim O'Reilly's statements as expressed in his letter to Jeff (reprinted in the Ask Tim feature of the O'Reilly Web site) and would like to add a short comment of my own regarding the self-nurturing nature of the Web. Transparency is the sine qua non of the World Wide Web. A generation (and soon many more) of programmers and other enthusiasts have built their skills upon this transparency, using the basic tools of the Web to expand and enhance their knowledge of the Web and how it works. I count myself among that group, having "popped the hood" of many a site using my browser's "View Source" capability to gain a better understanding of how a site operates and flows. Skills built using this and other techniques which depend upon the openness of the Web and the Internet as a whole have contributed tremendously to my own productivity as a programmer and Web designer, as well as to the success of my clients' sites. Doubtless your own success is due is some measure to the similar experiences and knowledge bases of your own programmers and technicians, who have leveraged knoweldge gained from utilizing the Web's transparency to make Amazon the commercial epiphany I truly believe it to be. Yet your actions in regards to filing for and enforcing your 1-Click patent threaten to suffocate the very environment which has benefitted yourself and your company so much. Future generations of Web services and technologies will suffer for such efforts, because the expertise necessary to understand, deploy and extend them will be limited to those "within your own fences", as Tim put it. The effects of sustained climate of secrecy and proprietary technologies will leave us all -- businesses and consumers, programmers and end users -- appreciably worse off, and will stymie the growth and richness of the Internet in all its facets. Please do not discount your role in the evolution of the Web. As a leader in so many areas, Amazon sets the standard by which others abide. The notoriety, credibility and concrete practical benefits to be gained from doing the right thing in this case far outweigh the short-term gains you could possibly realize from your current course of action. This is an opportunity waiting to be seized. Sincerely, Jonathan P. McCarter

Jonathan McCarter

Laura Schmier

Mike McGee

Mike Janger

Dear Jeff Bezos I have read about your moves to enforce your trivial 1-click patent and am deeply disappointed by the action Amazon has taken. It is contrary to the spirit of the internet and is a betrayal of the many people who have helped to shape this exciting medium. I plan not to buy any further from Amazon until you change your policy. I will also advise friends and colleagues in the UK to stop buying from Amazon until you indicate that you will give up the patent. Details that I have received from Tim O'Reilly have disappointed me and will go to my large mailing list of IT and education contacts in the nwest. I think that you should reconsider your position fast. Ian Harford

Ian Harford

Grant Zurko

Gale Langseth

I have been a web developer and I have operated a web site hosting company since 1995. This predatory action by Amazon directly affects my ability to continue to make a living. I agree with those who will discontinue shopping at your site, as I have been an Amazon customer for over a year - I will now look elsewhere. I will not support someone who is trying to hurt me in this way. Think about what you are doing to people - if you damage us it will come back around to you. Rick Bastedo President GygaBite, Inc.

Rick Bastedo

I not only govern my own purchases, but I also have the ear of people who influence purchasing at a local college and several businesses (not to mention family and friends). My recommendations for purchases will be for Fatbrain.com until you refrain from your absurd and anti-competitive abuse of current software patent law. Your recent behavior is a disgrace to the industry, and your callous disregard for those who's work you have reaped the benefits of disgusts me.

Nickolas Atkinson

I buy many things online, but I have bought nothing from Amazon since this patent issue came to light. I also encourage my less technically savy friends to use outlets other than Amazon, and they have mostly done so.

Thomas S. Urban

Jeremy Sheeley

Carly Huitema

Chris Micacchi

Andreas Rasmusson

Jonnathan Briggs-Lee

Shame on you.

Laura Wilber

David Guthrie

Jason Deck

Leo Dejan

Mike Krasnay

Rex Mc Dowell

Michael Agard

Allen Wyatt

P…l Ove Pedersen

John Kohler

Robert Jones

Braden Gibson

Mr. Bezos, Openness built you. Your business is built from the ground up on standards, protocols, and technologies that were freely given. Every time you make a sale, you benefit from the efforts of thousands of academics, programmers, and entrepreneurs who gave, expecting to gain nothing but the benefits from others who did the same. Now you've turned around and spat in their faces. Your "one-click" patent is a ridiculous land-grab, a slap in the face to the community of openness that created the Internet and, by extension, you. You aren't required to play nice. You aren't required to call off your attack dogs pursuing lawsuits against competitors who implemented the same obvious feature as you did. But I'm not required to buy from you, and neither is anyone else. Please keep that in mind.

David Price

Avner Kenner

Software patents are the beginning of the end of future independent innovation. I agree that Amazon should recognize this and change their policies, despite their market size.

Joe Ripley

Aaron Strich

Greg Landrum

Fatbrain.com, here I come!

Mark Kennedy

I used to think Amazon was pretty cool and ordered from your site several times. However, once this (and some other, similar things) came out I stopped even looking at your pages when shopping. It's not like there aren't lots of other companies I can turn to...

Trevor Hayes

Ronald L. Sheridan, Jr.

Tim, I agree 100%

Ray Mears

I spend at least 躔.00 a year on computer books, CD's, DVD's, and leisure books. 95% of my purchases had been at amazon.com due to the spectacular service and ease of order. I have been unable to continue to use amazon.com as of December 15th, 1999. Being a computer programmer myself, I agree 100% with Tim O'Reilly, Richard Stallman, et al. You wont get another dime of my money. _Andrew

Andrew Embury

I will take my business elsewhere as well.

Jim Crumley

Pathetic, simply pathetic.

Aaron Morris

Janne Kulmala

I will not buy any more from Amazon.com

Jagadeesh Venugopal

Stop typing amazon.com. Start typing noamazon.com.

Alex Blume

BEWARE!!!!! The Internet gaveth to Amazon, the Internet can taketh away!

popman

BEWARE!!!!! The Internet gaveth to Amazon, the Internet can taketh away!

popman

You go Jeff. A dollar in your pocket is a dollar in mine.

A. Meade

I think the patent office should be apportioned some responsibility in this letter.

Charlie Goodier

William Crosby-Lundin

This issue is of enormous importance, and not just within the United States.

Paul Martin

You do not own this technology. So stop trying to steal it. Thank you.

Manny Manuel

I am in full agreement with Tim -- and RMS.

Steve Lamont

The 1-click patent has got to be the dumbest patent ever awarded and Amazon should be ashamed of it.

Kristoffer Henriksson

I am boycotting until this situation is resolved...

Adrian Rollett

I will be shopping elsewhere until Amazon assures me that they will not attempt use their patents to keep other sites from using obvious ideas like cookies (one-click ordering) and multi-tier marketing (afiiliate programs).

Eric Costello

Dear Sirs, You're a big enormous company, I'm just a customer. I can't stop you, but I won't buy books from you.

Jos'h Fuller

If you purue this patent, I hope you fail! pk

Pete Kingswell

I have ordered things from Amazon since the patent was granted, but I'm beginning to think that that may have been a mistake.

Kevin McKenzie

Until Amazon changes their ways, I'm using Barnes & Noble, or ordering direct from publishers like O'Reilly

Richard Rognlie

Once the best bookstore on line, now interested in selling everything (including the kitchen sink) and obsessed with growing at any cost.

Bill Symmes

Rethink it!

C.W.P. Schoenmakers

My last amazon.com purchase was made last week, and that only because I had gift certificates to spend. Mr. Bezeos & co. will not see any more of my money.

Steven V.

I will boycott amazon until they resolve this matter. If the courts resolve it for them, patent or no, I will never do business with you again.

Sam Stintson

I prefer amazon over other services. Unfortunately, I view their actions as abusing the very system that helps them exist. I will boycott until amazon corrects this.

Brandon Hill

I'm in agreement with most of these opinions and will certainly buy elsewhere until I hear this issue has been resolved. (not that I could actually read them all given the large number who have already responded)

Paul Mueller

Jeff, You must be following bad advice with these misguided patents that bites the hand that feeds you. I am disappointed with your actions. Align Co. Publishing, Media, and Technology Consulting

P. G. Secondino

I can contribute nothing substantive to what Tim O'Reilly and Richard Stallman have already written. However, I feel compelled to add that you should be ashamed of yourself.

Joe Formoso

Stop Software Patents Period. Make money with supporting open standards and creating the best implementation of them.

Jochen Bedersdorfer

Let Amazon compete on _service_ not patents. I used to shop at Amazon because they understood customer service better than any other book seller. Now Amazon has lost its way and my money will go elsewhere.

Edward Franks

I've stooped using your service, Amazon and intend to continue the boycott until this situation is resolved

Dmitriy Meleshko

because of this issue our family has decided to cease doing business with amazon.com. we need to send a clear message to these big sharks that such purely greedy attempts are simply unacceptable. they will ultimately hurt us all. this is simply outrageous!

bettina gentry

Amazon.com is using a petty tactic to beat back its competition, and I think it stinks. I'm not patronizing Amazon.com anymore. (I might use their terriffic web content to make purchasing decisions, but they won't see anymore of my money.)

Drone Head

Im you persist on this patent's things, I will stop buying books from you and urge all the persons I know to stop doing it.

Alejandro Forero Cuervo

I have nothing to add to what many others have said about this issue.

Ian Jackson

Please differentiate on services and material offerings. Differentiating on the cookie level is simply ridiculous. Look at what the patent has gotten you, and then compare that to the ill will it has bred. Was it worth it? It's not too late to turn this puppy around, you know.

Erik Ratcliffe

These patents are wrong, and until cease this activity I will and have been participating in RMS' boycott of Amazon. I have also convinced some non-tech friends/relatives to participate in the boycott as well. Its your choice, and it seems clear what you should do.

Ethan Benson

I'm happy to buy my books elsewhere. I'm a student in Digital Design and spend at least 贄 a quarter on computer and design books. I'm also happy to inform my classmates, teachers, and the underclassmen whom I work with, about Amazon.com's brazen actions towards monopolizing a common vehicle.

Elisa Del Vecchio

Even though I am satisfied as a customer by Amazon, I am absolutely horrified that somebody could be STUPID enough to grant a patent on cookies. And that Amazon would exploit holes in the US patent system is in my opinion almost a criminal act. So I think they should back down.

Michael Wulff Nielsen

Amazon is one of the easiest and most effective ecommerce sites around. While I may not buy huge numbers of books, 95% of the books I have bought in the last 12 months, and 100% of the books bought online were ordered through amazon.co.uk. As of yesterday (28/2/2000) I've started using bol.com.

Gary Hill

Amazon used to be the first place on the web where I looked for books. Now it is the last thanks to their insistence on enforcing their trivial patent. If Amazon insists on protecting their territory instead of innovating, it won't be long before someone else comes along and comes up with something that will put them out of business.

Tanner Lovelace

To Jeff Bezos, Simply Chinese proverb analogy, Amazon - Boat Us the book buyers - Water We can keep you afloat, we can also sink you just as easy. I would like to start shopping at Amazon again, but in the meantime, I will take my business elsewhere. Sincerely Xu He

Xu He

I don't know who told you getting a patent on cookies was a good idea, but I don't think they should get a raise this year (or next year.) I was a fan of Amazon.com. It was bright and shinny and could do no wrong. Now your image is tarnish and I don't know if myself or my family will ever be customers of yours again. I'm sorry for you.

Sterling Keener

I have been an Amazon customer and have purchased books on varied subjects from them. However, since this whole fiasco started I have taken my business elsewhere. I absolutely refuse to deal with any company which behaves in such a greedy and predatory manner.

Brian Showalter

While Amazon.com chooses to enforce its "1-click" patent (or any of the other ridiculous patents they have been granted) I will no longer purchase from Amazon.com, either personally or on behalf of my company. Further, I will take every opportunity to encourage my friends, family, and colleagues to do the same. I look forward to the day when such patents are declared invalid in a court of law. Jason Ruiter

Jason Ruiter

One would think that Amazon, supposedly knowing the Internet so well, would never pull something like this. I can understand assembling a portfolio of defensive patents to protect your interests, but using obvious ideas like this offensively is unconscionable. Now Amazon will learn how well the Internet routes around obstacles (of any kind). IÆll be shopping elsewhere until further notice. -Darin Buck

Darin Buck

I was neutral on this case until I read Mr. O'Reilly's comments. After reading the summary of Mr. Bezos' comments, I am 100% behind the boycott. I think Mr O'Reilly is in a tough position that precludes him from boycotting Amazon, but it IS the reponsibility of the reader's of O'Reilly books to join the boycott. I spent over ū,000 at Amazon in 1999, just in books and CD's. Now I will point my browser and my dollars elswhere.

Bruce Bilbrey

Mark Bridgers

Amazon does not need a patent on 1-Click to still be successful. There are many other ways that Amazon can ensure their success without unfairly bullying their neighbors out of using such a basic function as saved preferences and express checkout. Can you imagine if one supermarket chain owned the right to offer an "Express checkout line"?! Customers will ultimatelyh base their shopping choices on the their end experience, and not on marketing names.

John Genuard

Until Amazon stops with these silly patent claims, they should not be expecting to see any of my money. There are plenty of other vendors who provide a similar service for a similar price. They need to be aware that once we get used to purchasing from a different vendor, Amazon will no longer be the first place we look for books.

Steven Evatt

If they were not to be so utterly and blatantly ridiculous patents, perhaps there would be some merit in Amazons patenting scheme. Perhaps. I used to buy about 赨 in books from amazon.com a month (being a developer) and now i buy 0. I currently buy all my books at it's competitors (including the one amazon has filed a lawsuit against) and will continue to boycott amazon.com until releases the patents. Maybe forever. Amazon.com people: your customers are not happy. DO SOMETHING.

Paul Nguyen

Patents are supposed to be to encourage people to make public things they do in secret so that knowledge might be advanced. Even if the dubious merit of business process patents were to be accepted, one-click shopping is not something that needed patent protection to encourage its being published or developed. In my opinion, the granting of your patent was unconstitutional. Your insistence on using this patent offensively has lowered my opinion of your company from audacious innovator to the level of a slimy cybersquatter.

Eric Hopper

Amazon...Take down your patents! Seriously-- your move to patent the 1-click process is (as I'm sure you have been made aware by now) both illegitimate (in that it is not the creation of a novel 'art' or process... simply an application (and not a particularly inventive one) of the cookie) and (in the long run) ill advised. Chalk up one more book buyer who will not grace your 'virtual' storefront with their presence. (estimated weekly expenditures on books(as averaged over the last few years)-- between 贄 and 赨 dollars.) (Not to mention CD's) :P

Kerry Lazarus

I have enjoyed shopping at Amazon.com for quite a while. However, after hearing about the patent nonsense and RMS's call for a boycott I checked out the competition. So far I haven't been as happy with the competition, but in an attempt to make a statement, I am avoiding Amazon.com. The world wide web is already suffering greatly from the realization of corporations that it can be commercially viable. I thought Amazon.com was a good example of how an e-company should work. Please return to sensible business practices and back off of your frivolous patent claims. Those actions do not set a good example.

Jeffrey W. Jones

I agree with Tim O'Reilly and RMS that this trivial software patent is an abuse of privilege on the part of Amazon. The open standards Internet technology and open source software make it possible for Amazon to exist. This attempt to illegitimately lay claim to public technology must not be allowed to continue unchallenged.

Charles Spurgeon

<P>I agree with Tim O'Reilly's well-written thoughts on the Amazon.com 1-Click patent. Amazon.com should spend more time and money working on improving customer service, maintaining a great site and continuing with innovative technology, and spend less time trying to enforce a patent that should have never been granted in the first place. There is nothing innovative or unique in the Amazon.com 1-Click system.</P> <P> Until such time as Amazon.com retracts the patent application and lawsuits, I will cease purchasing from Amazon, and will advise all of my friends and family to do the same. After all, I can always order my books directly from O'Reilly or BN.com...</P>

Mark Boltz

I, like the hundreds who have signed their names above and below me, am appalled by your misguided and shortsighted attempts to stifle creativity by turning trivialities into minefields of potential litigation. I have not purchased anything from Amazon.com since your ridiculous patent action, and do not intend to do so until you come to your senses. Pissing in the well, indeed.

Chris Crick

I work for Thomson Consumer Electronics, the manufacturers of RCA, GE, and ProScan consumer electronics equipment and one of the leading holders of patents in the consumer electronics industry. Although I personally have mixed feelings about software patents, I have much fewer problems with software patents that are non-trivial and non-obvious. (You might want to look into the history of the Bell Labs' setuid patent at this point.) Trying to use obvious and trivial patents to protect your business position is a pure short-term strategy. Short-term because competitors will use their obvious and trivial patents against you to begin with, short-term because it makes you look very bad in the eyes of the technically astute customers who were your early adopters and are still probably among the best at spreading the word of Amazon.com to others, and short-term because eventually the Patent Office will start revoking these patents, thereby removing your business advantage from these obvious and trivial patents. When the Amazon.com technicall staff comes up with non-obvious, non-trivial software techniques that will get patents that will stand up in court, it would be very understandable for Amazon.com to patent these techniques. Unfortunately, the 1-click ordering and affiliates program are not those patents. I will still continue to tell people about Amazon.com -- it is by far the handiest way to order books and music at home.

Mark Leighton Fisher

I would like to speak as a technical professional whose book spending is literally in the multiple thousands of dollars per year. I was increasingly using Amazon for my book purchases. After trying several on line book vendors over the last year I was pleased with Amazon's customer service and in light of this the slight increment of price over other vendors was no object. I also enthusiastically encouraged my non-technical friends and family (generally voracious readers) to use Amazon. I frequently linked to Amazon URLs in on line discussions and e-mails. Then the 1-click patent came along (not to mention the even more unspeakable associates program patent) and everything changed. Tim has made both the technical and moral case against these better and more authoritatively than I could. And let me add that I respect the hard work that has gone into the creation of your excellent site, and fully support your right to appropriate trademark and copyright protection. However, it is with deep regret that I am unable to buy from you, recommend you or link to you any longer. I have found the service from your competitors acceptable if somewhat less polished than the service I enjoyed from Amazon (this has absolutely nothing to do with the patents at issue, I may add, but just old fashioned hard work). I cannot speak for the thousands of other avid book buying technical professionals like me, but if Amazon would step back from this ill conceived business strategy, I for one would give you a second look.

Matthew F. Leo

I too am appalled at the misbehavior of Amazon. Like so many others, I have switched my online book purchases to Barnes and Nobel and others. I urge Amazon to do the right thing, to be competitive on thier own merits and to save themselves the trouble of fighting these ridiculous patent fights.

Howard Ship

Rob Klink

Tom Jones

Eric Grove

Chris Abiad

What Amazon is doing is retarded. Time magazine should revoke Jeff Bezo's "Man of the Year" title. He's the schmuck of the year (so far). He's become an enemy of the Internet. This will not be easily forgotten.

Mark Cidade

David Shantz

David Heffner

Tyranny does not drive innovation. Amazon would be nothing without the generosity of previous works which were made freely available to Amazon. To claim a patent on well known technology is preposterous. Amazon will not be getting my business.

Brandon Poyner

Paul Penedo

Mando Escamilla

Michael Pirnat

Simon Hill

Kay Nettle

Richard Weeks

I purchased books from Amazon over xmas and was impressed with the service and selection. However I will no longer use amazon.com due to what I see as a predatory practice of pantenting technologies that were developed from prior technologies developed in a more open environment. If it were not for this open environment, the web, as well as Mr Bezos and his company would be a lost advance in communication and information science. One Gates is enough.

Wesley Harrell

Danna Cornick

Stefan Buchholtz

Chris Hubble

Michael Wiltsie

where do I apply for a pattent to cut and paste between frames?

Andrew Snyder

Products want to be sold, but the Internet needs to be free!

Erik Peterson

I'm a social worker and don't know a lot about technology, but I know oppression when I see it.

Julie Johnson

Patent something I can write in an hour? Gimme a break. I'll buy at barnes and noble and reel.com from now on, thank you.

Jason Wambach

I have been boycotting Amazon since they announced the patent and have been urging all my friends and relatives to boycott it too. Frivilous patents like this stifle innovation.

Charles Leeds

Many with more skill in putting words together have stated above exactly what I feel. The only thing I want to add is that I, too, have exclusively shopped at B&N since this ludicrous patent was awarded.

Glen Frank

For the good of the Amazon's customers, employees, and shareholders (and, oh yeah, the rest of the world) ... it's time to lay these patents down. In cases such as these, where there *is* prior art, there should be no patent. Daniel Gray geekbooks.com

Daniel Gray

alison headley

As long as Amazon.com continues such greedy, foolish behavior, I will not spend a dime at their website. Furthermore, I will urge my friends, family, and clients to purchase products at alternative websites until Amazon backs away from its current stance.

Ryan Hennig

Pavel Shevchenko

I think Amazon has done a number of positive things for the industry, but I cannot support the issuance or aggressive defense of this and other such trivial patents. I believe Amazon should drop defense of this patent, and will boycott their site(s) until they do so.

Poney Carpenter

The granting of the 1-Click patent application is another indictment of the incompetence of the US patent office. I hope Amazon try to enforce it and a reasonably savvy judge laughs you out of court. Heres hoping such patents never get granted in the free world.

Gareth Owen

In the past I have bought thousands of dollars worth of mechandise from Amazon, as well as recommended your company to many others. I will no longer purchase from or recommend Amazon as long as you insist on causing long term damage to the community for your own short term gains.

Dan Green

Even as a die-hard-laissez-faire-economics-libertarian, these patents offend me to my very core. I am uncertain who to direct my anger against, the evil of Amazon.com for filing the patents, or the nonchalant ignorance of the U.S. Patent Office for allowing them to succeed.

Michael F. Maddox

I have stopped purchasing from Amazon for both my personal items as well as my corporate purchases. I will continue to boycott you and direct my business transactions to your competitors until you reverse your stand on both of your patents, 1 Click and the Associates patent. Respectfully, Jeff Hinrichs Omaha, NE

Jeff Hinrichs

I am a registered affiliate of amazon.com, but with such predatory tactics being used by Amazon, I have no choice but to drop my affiliation from a company that no longer stands for innovation. A company that can't compete on it's merits, and must resolve to using cheap and dirty tactics.

Vidyut Luther

I agree whole-heartedly with the sentiments of Tim O'Reilly's letter.

Alastair Burt

I have been a good (maybe even excellent) customer of Amazon.com since it started several years ago. I have never used the One-Click process and never will. I don't expect to stop buying books from Amazon, but I certainly do object to their efforts to keep for themselves something they "stole" from the public.

H. Milton Peek

I'm just one but I will not buy from Amazon, and have written some people and will try to convince others to stop using them. It's too bad because they're so convenient but, I'll use them for user-comments, but actually buy stuff elsewhere. We have to discourage trivial ankle-biting patents.

Jeff Donner

I used to by books from Amazon, no longer. Their competators have the same prices, so that's where my dollars now go. Maybe I should patent the idea of providing a button to click on in a website and enforce it against Amazon, or better yet, the idea of cookies. Patenting the obvious is in my opinion a form of corporate criminal behavior. Enjoy your loss of market share.....

Owen C. Creger

I applaud Mr. O'Reilly for a rational and even-handed dissection of this issue. Mr. Bezos should not attempt to learn his business ethics from Mr. Gates and the competition-squashing mafia in Redmond. Like many others have already stated, there's nothing Amazon sells that I can't click-and-buy at any number of other sites - ones that are far less predatory and abusive.

Scott Harvey

Although not many, I have purchased books from you in the past, and do not intend to buy from you in the future if you continue such behaviour. If my name is not in your records, it is from the necessity of having to borrow another's credit card.

Jeff Read

As someone who are been on the net for several years now, there have been incredible advances in technology that have come about simply by people sharing their ideas. What Amazon is trying to do, in essence, *stealing* these ideas, sickens me to the core. As long as Amazon continues this blatant misuse of the patent system and utter disregard for pre-existing technologies, I'll continue to not do business with them, and to tell my friends the same.

Doug Muth

I will no longer purchase books through Amazon.com. I am a college student and an avid reader--and will purchase my significant volume of books elsewhere until such time that these ridiculous business practices are discontinued. Please also keep in mind that for each of us who speak in this forum, there are untold others who feel as we do-- please, please, reconsider! It will be better for business.

Jennifer Jensen

I am a devoted Amazon customer. However, as an Internet Technologist I cannot condone the patenting of any system that is merely a superficial application of a technology that has been open source from day one. That way lies Microsoft, err, I mean, Madness.

Robert G. Ferrell

I have nothing to add but to note that I will never again use the services of Amazon, if they should even continue to be construed as services. Pharmaceutical companies patenting nature, business executives patenting well known technologies; what next? Engineers who do not share their knoweledge and insist on patenting every line of code. Sigh. Mark Washeim Technical Director, Large Medium AB Proud to support OPEN SOURCE! (NetBSD, Apache)

Mark Washeim

Your software patents are an obvious attempt to gain a monopoly in an open environment. Had patents such as '1-click shopping' been approved in the web's infancy, you would be selling books out of your parent's garage. I personally plan to boycott amazon.com until this matter is resolved. Please take this not as a threat to you, but as a necessary means to an end...The patent will be overturned eventually, Jeff, but will the community's doubt in amazon.com?

Jim Sproull

Jeff, I have been shopping at Amazon.com for years now. I think it is a great store with incredible potential. As a software developer and one who believes in open standards, I believe what you are doing is simply wrong. Because of this, I and any others can I get to join my cause, will be boycotting your store effective immediately. Please overturn your 1-Click and Affiliate patents and I will be happy to return to your store... Scott Meeuwsen High Level Software, Ltd.

Scott Meeuwsen

Since hearing about this One-Click patent nonsense, I've ceased even visiting the amazon site. The Amazon link on my netscape toolbar has now become a Barnes and Noble link. Amazon will never again see a dime of mine until they begin acting like rational and decent citizens of the online community (and having the patent revoked by the Patent Office or overturned by a court doesn't count as acting rationally). I may not be wealthy, but I spent a fair amount at Amazon, and if enough of us stop shopping it will add up.

Michael McLaughlin

Mr. Bezos- Since learning of Amazon.com's intent to pursue patent litigation, I have ceased to be a patron of your company, and have urged those around me to do likewise. It's one thing to succeed by being an innovator, it's something wholly different to be selfish and arrogant with other people's technology. I doubt my 跌 annually (and whatever my circle of friends might spend) means much in terms of your company's bottom line. I may even end up paying slightly more out of my own pocket by using other vendors, but feel that compromising not only my own principles, but those of the people who make the internet work, live, and grow.

Rafe Brox

I love Amazon's book site. It makes books easy to find and easy to order. The author and reader commentaries are useful. I used to buy most of my books from Amazon. No more. The 1-click ordering and associate program are nice, but they were NOT my reason for visiting Amazon, and the fact that some other on-line store copies those features will NOT make me go there. Price and information, price and information, that's what attracts me. I will happilly resume buying from Amazon as soon as they publically declare that they will no longer use patents as weapons.

Bill St. Clair

Whatever "rights" Amazon or any other corporation or individual feels they have to patent software and business processes, the fact is, such patents are already having a chilling effect on Internet development and innovation, which will in the end limit everyone's (including Amazon's) ability to make money off the Internet. I hope that anyone considering registering a slew of patents will instead spend their money more wisely: lobby the U.S. government to reexamine the work of the Patent and Trademark Office, and the concept of patents themselves. Just in the past quarter, my site ahref.com has brought over 迀 of business directly to Amazon. Within 24 hours, ahref.com will stop referring purchasers to Amazon.

Edward Piou

I'm disappointed by Amazon's ludicrous claim to have invented anything (in regards to 1-Click). This is a misnomer. To keep my statement in context though, I want to be clear that I have books on my desk purchased from Amazon. And though I'm not enforcing or advocating any boycott, I have chosen other book vendors ever since I first read that Amazon applied for this patent. I've also told others in my IT organization where they may find computer related books from a less nefarious organization. I see your move as pathetic and unrealistic. In my eyes it's about as relevant as copyrighting letters of the alphabet. My personal opinion is that you can go f**k youself until you decide to drop your claims of having invented anything. (these are all personal opinions really, none of which reflect the views of my employer.. )

Dagen Brock

I've been upset about this patent since the beginning of the year, and as a software developer who usually spends between around 躔/year on books, my protest alone has moved 贄 in book sales to other web sites. I've also taken the time to forward this information to my less technical friends who've invested in Amazon, and used their services to tell them likewise to boycott amazon. So Mr. Bezos, you've screwed up. Cover your behind and hold your patent but leave it in the public domain so others are free to use it. Have you noticed your sales starting to decline? Computer books seem to be the most expensive books and all programmers I've known have decided to shop elsewhere. I'm looking forward to your next quarterly statement to see how your losses are increasing. But I don't believe you've got a clue since you are now patenting the "associates program" or whatever it's called. I don't care if I don't get paid(not that I ever participated in linking to amazon for cash), I'll link to any web site but yours.

Dan Pieczynski

I am saddened and disappointed by Amazon's ill-advised use of software patents and I can no longer support Amazon in good faith until they rectify this issue.

Lawrence Leung

Jon Snader

I thought the 1-click patent was an absurd childish ploy that I could ignore. Now I'm frought. I have long supported and promoted Amazon, have been very loyal as a customer, and am (for the moment) an affiliate myself. But now I have some serious pondering to do. The reason for my support was because Amazon was innovative and provided good service. I didn't care for BN because I wanted to shop from a company with a new model, in short, because Amazon didn't have brick and mortar stores. I liked their innovation as much as if not more than anything else. But now they appear to be slipping. They're not innovating. I haven't been particularly happy about their expansion away from their core business into tools, toys and auctions, where they're less than original. But it's becoming obvious that they're moving away from innovation and into anti-innovation, into an attempt to have an anti-trust lawsuit filed against them, perhaps? The fact is, we all know that 1-click ordering was just a typical use of existing cookies technology, and that affiliates programs are nothing but an old marketing method from long before the internet existed. What really matters is where Amazon goes from here. Perhaps the 1-click suit was just an ill-advised childish phase, and this newest absurd patent will be allowed to just collect dust. I certainally hope so, and will be watching closely.

Chad Gard

Dennis Scott

Iain Holmes

Tim Riehle

Scott Houle

Justin Stringer

Agreed

Bob Bunge

John Anderson

John Hicks

kevin mayhew

Greg Johll

Michael Thicke

David Miller

John Camille

Patrick Misterovich

Never was a customer, and now I never will be.

Matthew Bielanski

Joshua Duke Sharp

This is to register my support.

Richard A. Phillips

I used to be a customer of Amazon and value their service but unfortunately I have to go somewhere else for my books now.

Albert Dorofeev

Amazon was good,but there are oter online sites ,which respect The Internet more than amazon.com.

Guntis Liepins

The key thing is that Amazon publish their intentions with their patents and are held publically accountable to them.

Martin Burns

This patent issue is an outrage. Why doesn't Amazon get a patent on the alphabet or the decimal system - these are also available to take.

Szymon Sokol

The one-click and affiliates patents make me wear my fatbrain.com hat and t-shirt with extra pride. It helps me remember who to buy from...

Brett g Porter

Excellent letter Tim. I can't believe that amazon is going ahead with not only applaying for, but also enforcing, these patents. Keep the net free of "cash and grab".

Noah Genner

I refuse to give my business to a company that insists on stifling technological innovation.

Noal McDonald

I am an <i>Amazon customer</i> but will not be purchasing any more books (or any other merchandise their <em>empire</em> wants to sell) from them until they get over this childish patent.

Alex C Tan

The patent is bogus to anyone who has the slightest idea of how the web is designed. They just had enough money to get it and slipped it past inept PTO officials. I only shop BN now.

ernie mcginty

What happens to patents if the company dies .... for example the highly profitable AMAZON.COM ??? I would like them to go out of business ... highly unlikely but such a nice thought!

Frans de Wet

I've been using Amazon for a couple of years but now I'll be going elsewhere. I spend about ú250 per year on books, mostly from Amazon, but they won't see another penny.

David Allewell

Watch out Amazon. I am going to patent the click itself and counter sue. Then I will sue for licensing anytime someone pushes the mouse button for using my patent. Oh boy! This will be great!

Chad Z. Hower

I have joined the Boycott. Another example of a private corporation gorging on government open source fueled innovations and then turning around claiming that they invented it, they own it.

Mark Saltzman

All I can say is that since these issues have arisen I've bought many hundreds of dollars worth of books that I might have purchased from Amazon from other sources instead.

Howard Ding

All I can say is that since these issues have arisen I've bought many hundreds of dollars worth of books that I might have purchased from Amazon from other sources instead.

Howard Ding

Amazon has potentially a long way to fall. I am astounded that a company I previously thought to be forward-thinking can be so short-sighted. Step back from the abyss before it is too late.

Robert Galbraith

I haven't bought a single thing from Amazon since this whole fiasco started. That's more than 跌 they won't be seeing from me in the near future. Maybe a small amount, but with enough people, it adds up.

Shaun Thomas

Software patents of this kind are evil, and I will not do business with any company that uses a tactic like this to gain market share. Until Amazon sees the light, I'm doing my book shopping at bn.com or fatbrain.

Monty Manley

Althought I have been an Amazon customer in the past, I have been part of the boycott. And, unfortunately for Amazon, I have been so pleased with Barnes and Noble, I doubt that I will return to Amazon now, regardless of what they do.

Sara Mabon

Onde again, it was a plaisure reading Tim's opinion. I believe Amazon will see the light and stop trying to corner the market with their patents. Until they do, I will be having a great time reading books from O'Reilly and others wich wont be purchased at Amazon.

Jose Venceslau

It saddens me to say that I won't be spending any more time or money on the Amazon website. Your service and selection over the years has been excellent, but I simply can't abide your patent policies. When and if you revisit your decisions, I'll revisit mine.

David Love

I fully agree with Tim's position and I support the boycott of Amazon. I have bought several O'Reily books from them in the past. Now, their competitors will benefit from my future purchases.

Michael Lippo

Even thought I have purchased from Amazon in the past, and been happy with the experience, I will not spend another cent at Amazon until they drop these ridiculous patent issues. There are many other places online to get books. www.fatbrain.com , www.alibris.com, www.bn.com, www.borders.com, etc.

Matthew Van Horn

As an online customer and a web developer, I am continually frustrated by the attempts of large corporate interests such as Microsoft or Amazaon to take technologies which were formerly free and open and make them proprietary. These practices, which exist only in the interests of the employees of the companies that pursue them, are antithetical and poisonous to the open, unbounded nature of the web. I will boycott companies such as yours, who attempt to grab resources that should be available to everyone (and if you check your database, you'll see that I have been a customer in the past). Furthermore, I will encourage friends and family to do the same. Best regards, Heather M. Buch

Heather Buch

I had nothing but respect for Amazon.com, and have made purchases through them. As a member of the IT community and an advocate of the open standards that have made Amazon's success possible, I am disgusted by their current behavior. Therefore, until Amazon.com changes its tune, I will be participating in the boycott against them called for by RMS, and I will be urging others to do the same.

Frank Wierzbicki

Amazon like many other corporations in recent history has forgotten its roots and what helped it to get to where it is today. If it hadn't been because of the web and its free and innovative offerings Amazon and many other e-commerce would not be in existance. Amazon should do the right thing and release these patents into public domain ASAP.

Fred Rahmanian

Like at least one other signer, I too have avoided "spamazon" as a result of the extremely negative light they cast themselves in on the news.admin.net-abuse newsgroups in the past. I was beginning to reconsider, but this absurdity has only widened the gulf I'd have to cross. Sorry, Jeff. I will continue to recommend your non-spamming, rational competitors as long as you direct the company in this manner. It's sad in a way; I hope this self-immolation of Amazon's stops soon.

Patrick P. Murphy

I have been a big Amazon fan, I've ordered a lot of books and participated in auctions. Until now I've never hesitated to recommend the site to my family and friends. However, these two patents have utterly dismayed me, and I feel betrayed by a company that I thought had actually grasped the idea of web-based commerce. Until Amazon backs off from these patents I will never use the site and will advise everyone I know to boycott it as well.

Paul Caton

Your abuse of swamped patent clerks to pass such a ridiculous patent is really low, and to acutally use the patent to sue your competitors is really the lowest! It's equal to domain name pirating (i.e. being first at registering whatever). I thought you competed with high availability, efficiency and a wide sortiment, but apparently you do not. If you only had registered the patent to stop someone else from doing what you do I'd still respected your business, but not anymore.

Lars Rasmusson

Before they lost their customer focus, I used to spend hundreds of dollars per month at Amazon.com, mostly on books. Then came the 1-click patent, the published lists of books purchased in particular locales and from particular domains, and the associates patent. This tells me that Amazon.com has moved its focus inward; it no longer cares about its customers. I cannot in good conscience encourage that sort of business practice, so I will be spending my money at Fatbrain, Borders, and Barnes and Noble until they regain their customer focus.

Joseph Walsh

Mr. O'Reilly put a great deal of thought into what he's done. From his summary of the response he got from Amazon.com, I have to agree that he was brushed off. The one-click patent <b>not</b> a frivilous patent? The associates patent <b>not</b> a frivilous patent? Come on. Both have tons of prior art. Why is there so much prior art? The people who used the ideas before weren't bone-headed enough to think that they may be doing themselves a favour by patenting it! Save yourself a lot of time and aggravation: drop the patents and instead patent the method that you used to get the US Patent Office to give you a patent on such an already-used technology.

Andrew Kohlsmith

I don't believe anything has gone unsaid in the preceding signatures. Amazon - see the light. You may think only techs care about this ... but believe me (and others) - it isn't difficult to convince the public. Do you want to be compared to corporations such as Microsoft? Microsoft might have a 95% market share for desktop PCs ... it might not hurt their bottom line to have people decrying their practices. However - you don't enjoy the same position, think about this. Barnes & Noble, Borders, DVDexpress, reel.com, etc. - you're replaceable, you really are. All you are to people is this: http://www.amazon.com a URL .. nothing more, nothing less. Easy to replace, easier to forget. Think carefully if this is worth pursuing this silly patent.

Brice Ruth

It's a chilling sign of the times when service business's feel they are above the ones they service. As with Microsoft, the argument is not so much with the actual product (although it may also well be drawn into question), but with the assumption of absolute right to ignore basic moral codes in order to gain market share. While there have always been differing views on what is the best way to go forward with new technologies, the end results tend to prove that innovation, solidity, & growth flourish where ideas are free and even nurtured, whereas overly stringent and/or overly petty attitudes based on immediate financial power tend to produce inferior and non permanent results. I'll spare the History 101 course, as the above has been proven again and again over the centuries. Amazon had moved to my list of companies to Not give my hard-earned money when the initial patent announcement was made. Too bad that such a wonderfully convenient service has decided to play such a shortsighted game.

Theresa Heath

I thought the 1-click patent was an absurd childish ploy that I could ignore. Now I'm frought. I have long supported and promoted Amazon, have been very loyal as a customer, and am (for the moment) an affiliate myself. But now I have some serious pondering to do. The reason for my support was because Amazon was innovative and provided good service. I didn't care for BN because I wanted to shop from a company with a new model, in short, because Amazon didn't have brick and mortar stores. I liked their innovation as much as if not more than anything else. But now they appear to be slipping. They're not innovating. I haven't been particularly happy about their expansion away from their core business into tools, toys and auctions, where they're less than original. But it's becoming obvious that they're moving away from innovation and into anti-innovation, into an attempt to have an anti-trust lawsuit filed against them, perhaps? The fact is, we all know that 1-click ordering was just a typical use of existing cookies technology, and that affiliates programs are nothing but an old marketing method from long before the internet existed. What really matters is where Amazon goes from here. Perhaps the 1-click suit was just an ill-advised childish phase, and this newest absurd patent will be allowed to just collect dust. I certainally hope so, and will be watching closely.

Chad Gard

I greatly admire Amazon for capitalizing so brilliantly on a new market opportunity. The marketing, user experience, speed and simplicity they have demonstrated are remarkable. I must say, though, that they have lost my business due to these patent decisions. Amazon, as a big business that must maintain a competitive edge, is now making greater use of "big business" tactics, one of which is patenting. However, it doesn't look like this kind of a patent will be a licensing revenue source; it looks more like a competitive advantage issue. Ironically, as Tim states so well, the platform that made Amazon such a success case was an open, non-proprietary environment, a level playing field where someone with a better product can win; thus the success of Amazon. What they are doing now is trying to lock their current market position in. But they are starting to fragment the platform without which they would have not succeeded. I might say they are starting to rely less on their value added (customer service, ease of use, wide selection) to keep their advantage, though I have seen no evidence of this. They are in a tough position, no doubt: competitors could crop up as strongly and quickly as they did. The patent office has been recklessly giving patents out for business models on the net. I would imagine Amazon though if they didn't pursue these patents, someone else would (given the patent office's propensity to grant these types of patents). Think of a smaller firm looking to get a foot in the door/market? This is no justification, however, for what has happened. If they won't relent on the patents, I would ask Amazon to be creative with them. Let them keep ownership of the patents, but grant the world non-exclusive rights to reuse without need to credit the patent owner. When that, or something much more intelligent, happens, my wife and I will gladly come back as a customer. Cheers, Miguel Marcos

Miguel Marcos

I completely agree with Tim, in all his arguments. The practice of patenting already widely-used software and commerce techniques is not just selfish, but an obvious "bully tactic" against competitors. This is evident in the Amazon v. Barnes&Noble, which was executed suspiciously soon after Amazon's awarding of their [1-click] patent. Considering that B&N is one of Amazon's biggest competitor, it's hardly coincidence that this would happen. In addition, no suits have been filed against e-commerce companies who use similar (or identical) techniques for business unrelated to selling books or music/movie media. I'm sure many people are grateful that Amazon's lawyers have NOT pursued suing "everyone and their mother" for patent violation - which would be the "all" in "all or nothing" - but even more people are concerned about this practice in general, regardless of who you choose to target in your patent-based lawsuits. Therefore, the best thing Amazon should do, is not to b! ully people who've used the same technology that was literally handed to [Amazon]. To Amazon: Your people seem to think that retracting your patents might make your company look "weak" or "unsure of yourselves". I completely disagree. By taking advantage of the patent system and the technologies given to you by established Internet innovators, you have already been labeled by thousands of other netizens and patent lawyers as bullies. Your public image is already tainted, and an apology to the community you serve will certainly let you regain your image as a responsible e-commerce company. Please don't interpret this the wrong way, because I don't mean ill-will towards you as a company. I would like to see this issue adversely affect your sales, if even the smallest amount. Money talks, and while your public and peers (our fellow netizens) are voicing their opinions and boycotting your service, you should consider the reason. You work for your customers, not yourselves. Where would you be without us?

Erik Allan Schorr

Jon Booth

Iain Allan

Amazon has lost all credibility as a company ready for the paradigm of online business. As an aside, from one developer (me) to the developers that work for Amazon: Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?

Tommy Hayes

Mark Vernon

I have written many systems to register and keep track of users and user information over the web. Including using cookies, or pathinfo, or hidden form fields to keep a single identifier for the user. Several of these systems were dynamic, and so the list of fields could easily have included "credit card #" and "shipping address". And a form button to send the identifier to a single routine which pulls that info and sends it to the order processor was so trivial as to be not even considered... Oh, sure, I didn't actually connect the one block I had to the other, but it would've taken me five minutes, not thousands of hours, to do so. There is no innovation in One-Click(tm) ordering - it's a connection of blocks that people have been using before Amazon existed. And a trivial connection. Had you merely patented it to keep other people from doing what you're doing now, that would be one thing. What you are doing instead is actually morally and truly wrong.

silver Harloe

Jeff Harris

Cherry Marks

Diego Zamboni

Spencer Booth

Victoria Clarke

I just made my last Amazon.com purchase, and wish I had read this letter first. I will urge my friends to not buy anything from Amazon, as long as it maintains its offensive protection of ludicrous patents.

John Locke

Hear, hear!

Druce Vertes

Rob Campbell

Dan Haley

Rumy Driver

Emmanuel Pirsch

Allan Neal

Amazon' use of trivial patents in an offensive manner is cutting off its nose despite its face. I have no doubt that this tactic will, in the end, cost Amazon far more than they are able to gain. The only question is, how much collateral damage will this sort of behavior cause in the meantime. In order to hasten the day when Amazon will see the error of their ways, I will be taking my business elsewhere, and encouraging others to do the same. Brent

Brent Eubanks

Fabio Rojas

Jared Warren

John Krueger

Keith Ballard

John Krasnay

Jim Knight

Julien GILLE

Robert M. Wagner

Alan Oursland

Peter Vachuska

Akilesh Rajan

Michael Westmuckett

Ron Manley

Mike MacLeod

Robert "Christopher" Hunt

I consider myself a loyal customer of Amazon's and I would like to express my disillusion with the enforcement of the 1-Click patent and the possible enforcement of the Associates patent.

Gregory Yepes

I'll shop elsewhere until the patents are released to the public domain.

Neil Booth

Now we know why they picked the name Amazon. Their lawyers are the crocodiles! Someone call The Crocodile Hunter!

Fred Porlock

I would hate to lose amazon.com (and amazon.de and .co.uk for that matter) as suppliers of fine books. Please reconsider!

Adrian A. Baumann

Amazon are good, but there's nothing I can't get elsewhere. They've lost another customer - at least until they see sense.

Simon Green

This has all gone too far. I've urged my fellow employees to also boycott Amazon. There are lots of competitors anyway (see www.noamazon.com).

Steve Willer

I was an early and enthusiastic customer of Amazon.com. I will not do any more business with them until they return their focus to customer service rather than this patent folly.

Daniel Nachbar

Joputas!!!

Julio Gonzßlez

Excellent letter, Tim. A note to Amazon - in biology organisms (amazon) feeding on their hosts (the internet) with (almost) no restraint are called "parasites". You can do better than that.

Christian Reiniger

Unlike, Tim, I have no qualms about RMS' method of protest. So, no more books/music from Amazon until they rethink their ill-advised attempts to hold the web to ransom.

steven filling

Mark Russinovich

I am complete agreement with Tim O. It is now 'borders.com' for me now.

bill slaybaugh

since i've been coding, my goal has ALWAYS been to perform a specific function with as few instructions as possible. Do you really think you're the first site that that's looking at efficiency? Duh!

Allen K. Cacko0wski

Bruce Fletcher

I have spent a great deal of my money as well my employer's money on books from your site. Because of your company's actions regarding this patent, I have decided to begin typing bn.com in the address field when I need a book.

David Mabe

I used to purchase some textbooks from Amazon. Until Amazon kills this patent, I will no longer purchase from Amazon.

Adam Hollidge

William Grosso

Excellent letter Tim! It's a good thing Mr. Bezos has already recieved most of the "bigtime" accolades. With his current crop of corporate stunts, I rather doubt more will be forthcoming. Personally, I will find it very easy to 1-Click on over to Bookpool or FatBrain for my future purchases (heck, they're usually cheaper anyway).

Eric Lorenz

I work for a software company that is heavily involved in e-commerce, so I'm fully aware of the importance of intellectual property. However, I fail to understand how either of the technologies in question could be novel or non-obvious to experts in the field. It is a sad indication of the failure of US patent law to keep pace with the Internet revolution that either of these patents was awarded. You should be embarrassed, as an e-commerce leader, to be trying to enforce what is so clearly a simple attempt to damage competition that is fairly beating you.

Michael K. Werle

I support the ideas in this letter 100%. I used to spend well over 񘈨 per year at Amazon, but I stopped when RMS called for the boycott, and have taken my business elsewhere. I do like Amazon's interface better, and would most likely return to them if they drop the existing action and make a strong statement that they won't do it again.

Pace Willisson

I agree completely with the comments made by tim O'Reilly in his letter to Amazon. Having used Amazon extensively for a number of years and found the servcies they offer, I can only hope that they realize that there real service to their customers is the sales services they offer, and not tricks like "one-click". Will somebody now try to patent 1.5 click next? Karl

Karl Schopmeyer

Your irresponsible use of patents has caused me to become a former customer of yours. While you provide a valuable service I cannot abide a corporation who cuts off innovation on the web by patenting ideas which Amazon clearly did not invent and are commonly used. Your actions stifle the web's growth and I will no longer purchase from your site as long as you insist on these ridiculous patent suits.

Jason Oppel

Why on earth did Amazon ever think that they had to become a software bully to keep my business? Before this I used to use them all the time and spread the word to people who I know who were just getting onto the net (friends, family). Now I make a point of sending them to other book sites and I tell them exactly why they should ignore Amazon. Without exception my advice has been accepted. Nobody likes a bully.

Dave Pearson

First of all, Jeff Bezos said Sunday night on MSNBC's "Summit in Silicon Valley" that Amazon.com did NOT have a patent for the one-click ordering system. Either he is lying or you all have raised a big stink about some serious misinformation. Second of all, the program that Amazon.com has recently applied for a patent is called the Associates program, not the Affiliates program, which is the similar program used by barnesandnoble.com.

Amanda Dombek

I strongly urge amazon.com to reconsider your current patent litigation, and to make clear your intentions with regard to the remainder of your patent portfolio. As a long time amazon.com customer and as a web application developer, I can say that your actions are threatening to my livelihood. Until this matter is settled in a way that benefits both the web community and amazon.com, I cannot justify conducting further business with you.

John Burkhard

It took a while for me to explain this to my wife, who was a loyal Amazon shopper (3-4 books or cd's weekly). We have since switched to other online bookstores, and she is very happy with the service she is receiving.

Christopher T. Smith

Thank you Tim for a most eloquent letter. Amazon/Jeff, My recommendation for you is to back off enforcement of your patent. This will save the company face, and with a little quiet PR (if there is such a thing), all can be made well with the technical community. As for my book purchases, which totaled about 踰 last year, and will total more than that this year (I am an MBA candidate), I will likely be shopping at fatbrain.com or varsitybooks.com.

Stuart Hall

I let my wife know that 'we' do not shop via Amazon anymore. We homeschool, and typically we spend 轜 to 񘈨 dollars on books for our childrens education. That money is going to other resources now. I've been in the computer industry for close to 20 years, and the idea of 'saving state' has been around since working on my first IBM 4600 mainframe.. Amazon is acting in bad faith, and at this point, I feel strongly that I may never shop there again, even if they drop their patents...

Stuart Hunt

As a software developer and long time Amazon customer I protest this abuse of US patent law and declare that I will no longer be spending any of my hard earned dollars (earned BTW using many open source tools and technologies) at Amazon.com.

Philip Corp

I don't believe that amazon is doing this. It is what we as the online/internet community has feared would happen. We as the community are trying to fight this kind of thing. We need to consider that we have groups like UCITA who are trying to control the IT field and we recieve news that one of our own Amazon is doing such a thing like this unbelievable. I am very disappointed at this action and well no longer buy books from Amazon until they come to they're senses. One Love, One Peace, One Free Online/Internet Community. I believe that we can all profit if some stop being so greed.

Sedarin Perry

I've seen Jeff Bezos being interviewed on UK TV a number of times, and I always liked his attitude. He believed in giving good service, and looking after the customers. He realised how easy it is for someone to take their business elsewhere on the internet. Someone can just as easily go to fatbrain, waterstones, whsmith, barnes&noble. And that's just what I intend to do. I find it hard to believe that the person I saw interviewed is the same person responsible for these patents. I now feel like I have been watching a politician. A nice media friendly image, but not so nice in reality. It's very sad.

Mark Brinton

It's a chilling sign of the times when service business's feel they are above the ones they service. As with Microsoft, the argument is not so much with the actual product (although it may also well be drawn into question), but with the assumption of absolute right to ignore basic moral codes in order to gain market share. While there have always been differing views on what is the best way to go forward with new technologies, the end results tend to prove that innovation, solidity, & growth flourish where ideas are free and even nurtured, whereas overly stringent and/or overly petty attitudes based on immediate financial power tend to produce inferior and non permanent results. I'll spare the History 101 course, as the above has been proven again and again over the centuries. Amazon had moved to my list of companies to Not give my hard-earned money when the initial patent announcement was made. Too bad that such a wonderfully convenient service has decided to play such a shortsighted game.

Theresa Heath

I believe the proper channel for protecting your "One Click Shopping" should be trademark law, not patent law. You are simply using cookies the way cookies were designed to be used, and it is a travesty that this patent was granted. However, if you wish to create a trademarked service name, such as One Click Shopping, to protect an investment in a branded targeted service, then you have every right to defend your brand name (but not the underlying technology, which you had nothing to do with developing or innovating). If any other non-affiliated vendors start calling their service "One Click Shopping", let them have it. If they use cookies to save state information, then they are simply using prior art and public tools in the way they were designed and envisioned to be used. Leave them alone. I believe Amazon offers a superior service to most other online vendors, and my wife and I spent several hundred dollars at Christmas alone last year with your store, most of which was gift certificates that likely drove even more additional business to your site. Until you abandon and further renounce this abuse of the patent system, I will be forced to take my families business to Barnes and Noble simply to protect my future as a web user and software professional. You think the abuse you are getting now is bad? Just wait until the literary community can be made to understand that what you have done is roughly analagous to patenting the application of ink on a printed page to convey information. It will take a while for them to "get it", but they will, and when they do, then there will REALLY be hell to pay. I further commit that this week, I will make at least one public statement (hmmm... maybe talk radio) and to make at least one non-technical person understand the danger (not to mention the sillyness) of what you are trying to do.

Bill Kilgallon

Gary Thornock

Harry Hochheiser

Ian Wienand

I am a customer of Amazon who has thoroughly enjoyed shopping at Amazon because of their excellent selection, nice web design, and decent pricing. However, after collecting all the facts about these frivolous and unfair patents that Amazon, I have decided to consider other options before purchasing anything from Amazon. Amazon provides an excellent service to the technical world, but if they are going to take advantage of the technical world, the net gain from Amazon is 0.

Robert Johnson

Julie Weaver

I was floored when I heard about this patent. While patents are legitimate in instances of true innovation, this hardly qualifies, and I hope the patent office has the good sense to eventually overturn this patent. Meanwhile, fatbrain, b&n, or provantage are more likely to get my online purchases than amazon.

Basil L. Copeland Jr.

Bryan Borsa

Rod Knowlton

Brian Agnew

Brinton Sherwood

Amazon who?

Dale Hull

win with service not lawyers

Michael Lowe

I bought one book from Amazon and was planning to buy more when I heard about this patent and the lawsuit. I won't be buying any more books from Amazon, not until they change their tune on patents. I urge everyone to not only sign this letter, but to join RMS's boycott of Amazon. I'd also like to ask Tim O'Reilly to stop supplying books to Amazon for sale. If he really cares about this issue, he will. You must vote every day, not with your ballot, but with dollars.

Jason Stephenson

Patents are for fools !!! Free the cookies !!!

Marco Muskus

Tim is right. I'm on the virtual picket line now....

Rob Thornton

Former frequent customer (to verify check my info you captured with 1click)

Ray S. Duvall

Anyone with the slightest claim to "expert" status can see that the "One-click" method is both trivial and obvious, and not deserving of a patent.

Dan Ritter

Rowell Sotto

As Tim has thoughfully pointed out, this can facilitate a hostile atmosphere of proprietary standards. Something that I am not waiting to see reoccur.

Brian Gupta

Having read the patent in question, it is clear to me that it is (as Tim says) a trivial application of cookies, and unworthy of a patent.

John Hartnup

Software patents are disgusting, especially obvious ones such as "1-click shopping". I have already stopped making purchases from Amazon.

Jaakko Lipasti

my wife and I are former Amazon customers. We will not purchase at Amazon as long as these patents (and others like them) are in force.

Eric S. Johansson

As a (former) Amazon-customer I am very sad to witness what is going on. Please reconsider your decision regarding the patent. It isn't doing anybody any good....

Peter Andreasen

As a librarian and fairly knowledgable computer user, I find such behavior frightening. I have never been an Amazon customer and, given Amazon's continued stance in this matter, will likely never be.

Peter Tagtmeyer

I'm saddened by Amazon's disregard for the free spirit of the web that helped launch their success. Neither I nor any of my friends will return to spend more at amazon until this bizzare patent is abandoned.

Matthew Neumann

I'm a long time customer of Amazon.com, and have always thought they were a great place to shop... But, as long as they continue filing for and enforcing such trivial and lame patents on completely obvious ideas, I can just no longer buy from them in good conscience...

Robert Seace

Until you decide to stop enforcing this ridiculous patent I shall not be purchasing any further items from Amazon.

Orion Hodson

Jeff Bezos - I find your use of patents to be offensive. My orders will now go to Barnes and Noble, and I will advise my 3000+ clients nationwide to do the same. I have used Amazon extensively in the past, but cannot support a company that steals from the community that built it.

Con Dowler

Mr. Bezos, et al., the aquiring by Amazon.com of the so-called "1-click" patent does nothing more than stifle innovation and lay claim to something that pre-dates your company. It is this innovation you seek to supress that allowed the prosperity you currently enjoy. But now you show your appreciation by biting the hand that fed you.

Dave Coyle

I agree whole heartedly with Tim. Amazon's actions only serve to encourage other companies to exploit the patent system before they are fenced out of the game. I used to use Amazon exclusively for my personal and educational requirements, but their attitude in this leaves a sour taste in my mouth and have therefore lost my business.

Christopher Dahn

Mr. O'Reilly is 100% correct. I am a IT professional and was surprised when Amazon was able to hoodwink the patent system. The prospect of a patent being filed on every application of cookies is frightening. I can't even imagine the stifling effect that patents would have had if VisiCalc had filed them on its digitalization of spreadsheet paradigms.

Jim Bernstein

As a member of a software consulting company that buys books online almost exclusively from Amazon, it greatly concerns me that you have chosen a course of action that closes opportunities for growth and innovation on the internet. It is my sincere hope that you will cease and desist immediately, so that I do not have to encourage my organization to find another book seller.

Nathaniel Talbott

Patents are for fools !!! Free the cookies !!!

Marco Muskus

Jeff, The first time I ordered from Amazon, I was immediately impressed with your customer service. Amazon.com is a model for what e-commerce should be. With that said, I agree completely with Tim's letter. You have benefited enormously from the generosity of Tim Berners-Lee and others. Until you decide to give up on the patent issue, I will boycott Amazon. There are many other choices out there (FatBrain, BN, Borders, local bookstores).

Matthew Ikle

I have used amazon.com in the past for ordering many computer books. At 30 to 60 bucks a pop, you'd think they'd want to do more to keep me. Well, not anymore, I think it's time to hit barnesandnoble.com some more. I mean, what is keeping us here, prices certainly aren't much better than anywhere else either is the service and silly patents like this may affect the way I do my job in the future and I don't like the thought of that. Off to barnesandnoble.com I go.

Dan R. Smorey Jr.

Amazon owes it's success to the technical community and the pioneers of the web. To stab those groups in the back with these jokes of patents is as low as it gets. I won't be making further purchases from Amazon, unless the company starts showing some ethics.

David Muench

While, in general, I tend to strongly disagree with Richard Stallman, I am forced to agree with him and Tim O'Reilly on Amazon's patenting of basic and trivial applications. Being somewhat familiar with the patent system, and being intimately familiar with software and computer architectures, it is obvious to me that there is nothing novel about "1-click ordering", nor with reseller agreements like your affiliates program. Until your policies change, I will be disinclined to continue purchasing from Amazon. I will probably be advising my clients in a likewise manner. I am also associated with an ACM Chapter that took advantage of the Amazon Affiliates program. I will be advocating our chapter's immediate withdrawal of Amazon Affiliate links from our web site.

Russell Schnapp

Your company is named after The Amazon, a might river. I hope you can see that the channel of even the mighty Amazon may be diverted if it becomes clogged with debris. Your recent patents have been dropped into the flow of Amazon's revenue stream and while most of the flow simply moves around them for the time being, they will become the base that snags more debris until the flow is sufficiently choked and you'll have to watch as your revenue stream leaves your banks and cuts a new channel elsewhere. When a farmer sees debris clogging a stream running through his property he removes it. I would hope you can make the right choice between saving face and saving market share. I have already diverted my own book purchases to http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ and have purchased both books and CD's in the past few weeks that would have gone to Amazon and I am adding the above URL to my sig along with links to the boycott information. carlos

Carlos Benjamin

The patent system has always supposed to protect true innovation in the market place. But alas, many of the patents you have filed, including the 1-click patent and the associate program, are 'obvious' uses of the technology made available by others. In enforcing these patents, you are abusing the patent system and taking advantage of a Patent Office which is clearly struggling to educate itself about the rapidly-changing technological landscape. If such patents as yours stand, I see only short term monetary gain and an Internet experience where developers are increasingly ham-strung by litigation and patent-minefields full of trivial ideas. In the long term, the withdrawal of support from purchasers like myself who would normally obtain 軸+ worth of books every year will be a far greater problem for Amazon - there are an increasing selection of other online booksellers who provide a similar service, and I shall be uses their resources until Amazon revokes these trivial pate! nts.

Dr Toby J.W. Haynes

Just what is Amazon.com trying to prove here, anyway? That Amazon.com can't compete in the marketplace and has to try to put down its competitors through other means? That Amazon.com wants everyone else to have better online shopping...only through Amazon.com? That the people who created the internet were "stupid" for letting people get on it and communicated for free? That the only people who can transact business over the internet are those that can afford a team of patent lawyers? I guess the "man of the year" can do no wrong. Don't get full of yourself, Bezos, the store around the corner may be able to have an attitude because it is close to my house, but EVERY store on the internet is right around the corner. I ordered stuff from you before, a shipment is coming now, but there will be no more orders from you while you are acting in this manner. The internet is a competitive place, and they compete on more than just price and interface. They compete on viewpoint a! s well. When all internet stores are one step away, why would I go to yours? It's obvious you don't respect the internet's foundation of openness, so my money is not going in your pocket.

Kipp Leland

I shall boycott, and urge others to do the same, until Amazon repents of this open display of greed and foolishness.

Dave Sherman

Thomas Glad

Jamie Stillman

Until Amazon relents, both on the patent and the privacy front, I won't shop, or even VISIT the site again. Over the past two years, I've bought several thousand dollars in books via Amazon, but no more. In the meantime, Bookpool gets my technical orders, and BN.com gets my general orders. It's the only way to force change: vote with my hard-earned dollars. . .

Keith A. Glass

To quote the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Atlantic Works vs. Brady, 1882: "It was never the object of patent laws to grant a monopoly for every trifling device, every shadow of a shade of an idea, which would naturally occur to any skilled mechanic or operator in the ordinary progress of manufactures. Such an indiscriminate creation of exclusive privileges tends rather to obstruct than to stimulate invention."

Aaron W. Thorne

I have been a customer of Amazon in the past, however I won't be buying anything else until this embarrassing patent debacle is cleared up. You stand on the shoulders of giants, either respect and acknowledge that or get off.

Ken Dow

Amazon's patent practice is sick - why don't you try to patent e-Commerce as well??? I'm impressed how Amazon sees something as trivial as 1-Click shopping an important invention of its own. I mean, c'mon, hire some better programmers. Even monkeys can do that. Thinking it as something worth patenting makes me laugh - it looks like a monkey is trying to tell the world how great it is because it can stand up and walk... I'll tell everyone on my icq list to stop doing any business with Amazon and tell them to do the same. I'll see how long you can survive.

Michael

What Amazon has done is a slap in the face to anyone who has done web development. Their patents are for obvious methods. I am wholeheartedly for initiatives to make them realize that their customers are not going to stay with them if this continues. If Barnes & Nobles were charging double for the books, I will buy from them on prinicple. Look me up Jeff, I'm a long time customer. Not anymore.

Benjamin Walling

Manfred Jeusfeld

Brent Chatham

PS Neville

Cathy Aki

James Buening

Mark Bridgers

Richard Campbell

Mark Cottrell

I feel strongly that your attempts to make proprietary that which should be open are both sad and regrettable. I've purchased from Amazon before the whole incident, and I shall not purchase from them again, especially with companies around who support my philosophy of moral behavior on the web, such as barnesandnoble.com and buy.com, which both offer much the same products without appearing in the news for bullying other companies.

Adam Watson

Gunnar Kreitz

I agree completely with Tim. Amazon, you are screwing up!

Bruce L. Bryant

The whole idea of software patenting is ludicrous.

Klas Laitinen

Mike Minton

Amazon won't get "1 Click" from me...

Chris Mance

John Lewis

There's plenty of other sites to buy books and all that other stuff from now...

KrisJon Hanson

Amazon will get no further "clicks" from me. I can find the books I need on elsewhere!

Jonathan Stitt

Brond Larson

If Amazon goes through with this patent Barns & Noble will gain me back as a customer.

debbie hull

give us a break! We haven't gotten the sour taste of Microsoft out of our mouths yet.

steve farris

give us a break! We haven't gotten the sour taste of Microsoft out of our mouths yet.

steve farris

So far, neither my wife nor I have wanted a title that we could not find at Barnes & Noble.

James Schultz

I don't express myself as well as Mr. O'Reilly does. So, I'll let him speak for me. We agree on the points mentioned in his letter.

Jim Putnam

amazon.com looked like an interesting place to order interesting things. I'm going elsewhere, 1-click or no 1-click. It's not that important.

Geoff Wozniak

I don't shop from work, and my home computer is a shared resource, so one-click shopping isn't for me anyway. Bye, Amazon. I won't even miss you.

Fritz Knack

Although I do still use Amazon's service, I feel that the 1-Click patent is unenforceable, because of it's use of existing and previously documented technologies.

Peter T Mount

There are few things to be said about this patent that haven't already been said. To patent such an obvious use of existing technology (cookies) is insulting to the web community, and has no place in today's market.

Philip Heede

The 1-Click patent is actually nothing more than an application of existing technology. Thanks, Tim for the clear and consise letter. I hope that Amazon and others will take it into consideration.

Chris Egolf

Daniel Stutzbach

Jef, Why do think cookies were invented? How much will it take you to realize that you have blundered? You have built and now killed Amazon. As far as I am concerned, I will never buy a book through your company.

Ceki Gulcu

A ludicrious patent, a great letter. Thanks, Tim, for expressing my feelings so exactly. Unlike you, however, I have no problem in avoiding using Amazon's services when I shop online. Chapters/bn.com/whoever here I come.

Chris Rovers

1 Click was silly. Affiliates is ridiculous. What's next are you gonna try to patent BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" or perhaps the FONT FACE tag. Perhaps DoubleClick should patent ad banners and sue everyone else.

Jon Chang

I, along with family members and friends, have stopped buying books from Amazon. These patents of theirs seems to be an insult to the intelligence of their customers. I sincerely hope they right their wrongs very soon.

John F. Brainard Jr.

What more is there really to say? I used to be a faithful Amazon customer, and I must've bought at least a few hundred bucks worth of books a year there. But I don't think I'll ever buy anything from them again, even if they stop prosecuting their patents.

David Bonner

Well I've used Amazon, and I like it, now as an Internet Developer, there is just no way I can continue to use the services of a company that is trying to say "hey look we invented a way to use a cookie to remember who you are and make shopping faster !" so for books there is always www.bol.com

David Smith

Thanks, Tim. You've taken the first step to organize the technical community against obvious abuse of the patent system.

Tim Goldenburg

Barnes & Noble has enjoyed my business since Amazon.com was granted the "1 Click" patent. They will continue to have my business until Mr. Bezos and Co. realize that perverting the patent process in their favor will do more harm than good to their future incomes and share prices. Caveat Empetor!

Mark Herring

Amazon provides a great service and I've been a loyal customer for a couple of years. However, I agree with Tim O'Reilly, RMS, and others that patenting 1-click shopping and associate programs is ridiculous and damaging to the Internet. I will no longer patronize your organization until you resolve these issues.

Emin Martinian

I've ordered several books from Amazon, and have been quite happy with their service up till now, but I feel that software patents of this nature are not productive, or worth pursuing. I have colleagues at Sun who feel the same way (and who also order many books online) - you're damaging your reputation Amazon !!

Tim Foster

Agree with Mr O'Reilly, these patents (1-click and associates) contain no novelty or original process and should not have been considered. I am British and they could even provide a reason for trade warfare, why should we respect these patents, which are unlikely to be granted in (at least) the UK patent office? I am boycotting Amazon where I used to use as sole on-line supplier. Long live bol and fatbrain until this is undone! Hugh Barnard

Hugh Barnard

I will not buy anything from Amazon, and I urge anyone to do the same. Amazon should fight software patents as could harm them in the future.

Christian Vilhelm

I am continually amazed by Tim O'Reilly's ability to cut to the heart of the matter and eloquently put to words the things I only feel. ([Amazon is] pissing in the well. Ha!) Patents are not universally evil but technology is changing the balance between the good of the Artist/Author/Inventor and the good of society. Until we figure out how to fix this balance we are going to have more growing pains like this. Until Law gets fixed we have Public Opinion and the Market as forces to regulate Amazon and other offenders' behavior. Let's use them.

David A. Marquam

Eric Chien

Ian Koetter

Jules Miller

I used to be Amazon's customer since it's day one and I am disgusted by the wave of ridiculous patents filed for by amazon. I am joining RMS's call for boycott and I am going to recommend doing the same to all my clients and friends.

Alex Luchkovsky

Dan Linderman

Fredrik Kronlid

James A. Tzitzouris, Jr.

Steve Hodge

Robert Shull

Creation of value for stockholders is not creation of value for society. A stockholder mentality built around quick return, rapidly upward mobile stock value, and pressure to find more ways to keep returns and rises happening is antithetical to the common wealth. None of us would be on the world wide web now if all the core technologies involved had not been freely available to everyone, creating value for society and benefiting our common wealth. Frivolous software patents do nothing in the long term for anyone except create ill will before they are struck down. I hope that Jeff Bezos has the courage to see the difference between benefit to stockholders and benefit to the common wealth.

James F Keenan

Bert Vermeulen

I Have ordered from Amazon in the past. No more.

Tom Grydeland

Hope Wyss

alex vorobiev

Matthew Barger

Lance J. Hoffman

Anthony Clark

patents are crap

Christopher Dickman

Steven A. Erickson

I agree with O'Reilly's letter completely.

Mike Waddell

Thanks for writing a great letter, I agree with your comments completely. The "1-click" and "associates" patent are ridiculous.

Richie Bielak

Amazon's patenting of "a trivial application of cookies" is tantamount to theft. I suppose I'll have to shop for books IRL now.

Eric Richmond

Having spend a lot of money with Amazon over the years I'm refusing to buy from them while they hold such patents - instead I'll buy books from their competitors.

Mike Bennett

Tor Magnus Castberg

until amazon ceases their present business practices, i will shop elsewhere - and, of course, ask ALL my friends, family, and co-workers to do the same.

matthew collins

Denis M. Bayada

Former Amazon customer. When all big names buy all patents there is virtually no room left for small developers. Anyone wanting to patent the if statement?

Michael Rathmann

I think Tim's said everything that needs to be said about this most eloquently. It won't be easy to function without Amazon, but it will be worth it if it helps them to see reason.

Andy Armstrong

I personally buy all my O'Reilly books directly from www.ora.com, not amazon.com. Until Amazon respects the proper use of the patent office and the framers of the Internet, I won't shop with them.

Duane Gran

Amazon, are you really so scared of your competitors that you need to resort to such desperate tactics to protect your business ? If you are that scared then maybe your competitors are winning.

David J. Williams

What more is there to say! Patenting something as technically basic as "one click ordering" is clearly set to inhibit the growth of the internet which is our primary economic indicator for the immediate future.

Peter Chapman

Untill now, I have purchased most of my technical books from Amazon. From now on, and untill this issue is resolved, i will always go to an alternative site first. (www.noamazon.com), I will also recommend to all my collegues to do likewise.

Moshe Vainer

Well said, Tim. It's a shame I have to do this, since Amazon offers so much great stuff. However, I'm no longer using the site and I'm reccomending the same to all my friends. It's disappointing to see such a promising company go so low as to put limits on the very medium which made the company possible.

Ric Rivera

I don't know what's worse, a completely lame US Patent Office, or a company like Amazon who insults our intelligence by claiming for it's own the good work of thousands who came before it. A company who stands on the shoulders of all those who gave freely, and presumes to take creative credit for the obvious!!! Outrageous!!! Boycott Amazon!!!

Robert Geiger

Based on the older news of your pending 1-Click patent and the recent news of your Associates patent, I have decided to STOP shopping at Amazon for both my personal and professional needs. As one who has contributed to the growth and benefitted from the growth of the Internet, I find it reprehensible that you are attempting to change the Internet into a closed, propietary system. You have benefitted from the open standards that helped make you what you are, and I see these patents as a reversal of all that. I may only spend a few hundred dollars with your company, but I have decision making authority for our consulting firm, which orders books quite a bit from your company. I shall be sure to use non-propietary competitors from now on. I urge Amazon to abandon it's attempt to enforce these two frivolous patents and to rejoin the community that it has benefitted from. Please see the following text from the O'Reilly Open Letter To Amazon for a very well written piece on this issue. Regards, -- Michael Shorten

Michael Shorten

The 1-click patent and the Associates Program patent are clear abuses of the patent system. Personally, I think, it would be immoral to support a company that is exploiting the current weakness of the US patent system and harms innovation - thus, I will not puchase anything from amazon.com anymore until they drop these and similar patents.

Manuel M. T. Chakravarty

Arjan Huijzer

Amazon greatest success, the one that earned it it's multi-billion market-cap, is the creation of the Amazon brand. Patenting, and enforcing the patent on, 1-click, is a step in destroying that brand, especially in Amazon's core market. While you reconsider your position on the subject I will of course boycott you, there are other on-line stores you know.

Michel Rodriguez

Amazon, if you have any idea about marketing - and it certainly seems that your success belies a little knowledge in it - It should seem obvious to you that for each signature on this petition probably represents at least another hundred disgusted customers who are just leaving you without bothering to say why. We're doing you a favour here, perhaps you should listen (and not just have your lawyers do your listening for you!)

Rod MacBain

Since Amazon.com started using tactics that I find repulsive (1 Click patent related lawsuit against Barnes and Noble, and the sharing of purchasing information without the consent of your customers), I have stopped giving my business to Amazon.com. There are other more reputable businesses that can provide the services and products I want. If Amazon.com stops the frivolous and harmful patent-related actions that they are taking, then I will re-consider giving Amazon.com my business again.

Greg Foster

Your patents are insulting to the very nature of the web, and the most anti-competitive move by an e-commerce company to date. You have let down your customers, and you have let down the Internet community in general. You will be forever scarred.

Corey Menscher

You've done a great job building a company that gets it right -- a real model of the way to kick ass as an online store. Don't blow it with this. You made a web site so easy and fun to use, it's been painful for me to avoid using it, but I'm not buying another book from Amazon until you've tossed those patents. You can make more serving your customers than you can abusing your competitors. After all, your competitors aren't the one with disposable income looking to buy books from Amazon. So focus on your real business and drop this anticompetitive patent-and-sue nonsense! Lawsuits aren't core business for anyone but lawyers.

Grant Gould

I run a popular Sci-Fi website. I was considering becoming an amazon affiliate, as a lot of our members regularly buy books, some of them online. When amazon started enforcing it's ludicrous 1-click patent, I immediately decided I'll not become an affiliate, let alone now they've patented the affiliate program self! C'mon, cookies and web-rings were around long before amazon was. I will definitely NOT be becoming an affiliate, I will definitely NOT be shopping at amazon ever again, and I definitely WILL be advising my friends to boycott them too... until such time as they make a public apology and statement that they do not intend to enforce these ridiculously obvious patents.

Nick Waterman

Since Amazon.com surfaced on the web I did nothing but rave about their service and excellence. A number of my co-workers and friends were recommended to use your service by me in the attempt to assure your survival because of the wonderful service you provide. To this the dismay that has befallen me due to your recent patent is just as great. After reading the patent, I find it extremely unfair and counter productive for the WWW as a whole. After seeing O'Reily's stance on the subject as well, my stance has grown even more firm. I do intended on making certain all of my referrals to your service find out about this misjustice. Alongside this I have no longer ordered any product from your company. Please change your view on this silly idea.

Michele Gosdin

Tim Becker

Until I heard about the 1-click patent issues, I frequented Amazon.com when I had my (monthly) urges to infuse new knowledge into my brain, usually on the order of 赨 a trip. However, since Amazon has enforced their 1-click ordering patent, I have been exploring other options for my hunger for technical knowledge, including Barnesandnoble.com and others. While Amazon.com has excellent prices and fabulous customer service, I cannot support a company that takes advantage of the open nature of the Internet, yet offers nothing back in return.

Kenneth Platz

Malcolm Silberman

Peter van der Spoel

Stephen Gusz

Eric Sandvik

Christopher Burgess

Protect using your innovation, not your lawyers.

Dave Marples

You've lost one more customer. This is ridiculous.

Steve Houghton

I won't buy from Amazon until they resolve this nonsense.

Martijn Faassen

I am returning to Barnes and Nobles. I have had it with your stupidities.

Erik Kj†r Pedersen

Paul Imboden

I am not buying from Amazon.com until the frivilous patents are dropped. I am encouraging all my friends to do the same.

Jason Bruce

With some sadness I will not be using your fine service until you come to your senses.

Tony Green

Charles LeDuc

I'm on my third e-commerce up-start, and I have admired Amazon for their innovation and quality of service for several years, and have frequently used them as an example of what e-commerce solutions can look like, if you're good. It therefore saddens me immensly to have to stop using their services (and stop giving them free publicity) for such an obviously stupid reason. I am active in Sweden, and here such a patent would of course never have been admitted. Nevertheless, I will stop using them, and stop recomending them, until I'm certain that they're not abusing the open economy of technology on the web.

Henning Strandin

Suffice it to say that I will take my business elsewhere until this is resolved to my satisfaction.

Gunnar Ljungstrand

Joseph Panico

As an internet applications developer, I cannot do business with a company whose practices are clearly harmful to the development of the web.

Tom Clark

I really think Amazon does not need such protectionism. I'm currently a regular customer at Amazon but might re-think this if they continue their current course.

Markus Peter

There's not much to say about. I'm a amazon customer, and also the company where i work. These kind of 'tactics' dissapointed me, i tought Jeff wasnt that kind of guy.

Maximiliano Kolus

I've purchased a number of items, primarily technical books, from Amazon in the past. Future purchases will be supporting their competitors, until they drop their absurd patent tactics at least.

Greg Norris

I have purchased nearly 500 dollars worth of merchandise from amazon.com. That was before the 1-click patent. Since then I've spent nothing, but barnes and nobel has had plenty of my business.

Eric Sandvik

Man, I should have patented the internal combustion engine when I had the chance.

Kyle

Amazon is not the only offender but it is the most visible one. We have to stop this trivial software patent madness now before it is to late and you cant write a single line of code without consulting a patent lawyer!

Steffen Vulpius

Kim Skinner

Neither I nor any members of my family will be buying anything from Amazon.com until these patent issues are dropped.

Keith McGuigan

I've spent hundreds of dollars on books from Amazon, both out of my own pocket and for my company. Guess it's time to move on to other sites. Thanks Tim, for speaking out about this and providing a public forum.

Scott Carpenter

I am outraged by Amazon's actions regarding patents. I have enlightened everyone I know about this behavior. I encourage them to boycott Amazon and help spread the word.

Eric Johnson

As someone involved in web development and e-commerce, I'm apalled that Amazon applied for and was granted a patent for something so obvious. Cookies were designed to save information about the client between sessions, which is all that 1-click shopping does.

Les Jones

I hope for your sake, and the sake of everyone else who's business revolves around the open standards that the net provides, that you drop this and other frivolous patent. You need to do what's best for your company without stepping all over the people and ideas that have helped propell your company into this new era of e-commerce.

Jackson Bloomston

There's nothing I can say that hasn't been said before. By trying to fence open technology, you're shooting the whole Web community in the foot, as well as yourselves. Is obtaining money from competitors really that important to you? Are you providing a service to the global public, or your few thousand shareholders?

Joseph Hoy

Although Amazon's actions are distasteful and they are loosing me and many others as customers, perhaps this protest movement needs to be directed at the patent regulations. If regulations make it legal to halt the evolution of electronic commerce, why direct our efforts at those who are following the letter of the law. Boycott Amazon, but write your congressman.

Joel Bowers

I've been on the web longer than Amazon, and I've been buying from them since their first months. Until now. The health of the web is more important than my old habits. No more Amazon for me.

Timothy Randolph

As a long-time customer and associate of Amazon, I'm appalled by Amazon's recent attempts to poison the well for their competitors while reaping the rewards of the generosity of technical innovators far more brilliant than the "inventors" of One-Click ordering and the Associates program. Amazon is one of the few companies that I love doing business with, but unless they reverse course on this, I cannot in good conscience do so.

Joshua Macy

As someone who works in this industry (and for O'Reilly - I wrote the NNTP server component of WebBoard) I'm appalled at the US patent office for this and many other stupid patents on software processes. Will it come to the point where I have to scan my code for all patent violations before submitting it to my managers? And what if I violate a patent that simply can't be coded around? Do we not publish the software - or try and seek a licence? Stupid stupid stupid. Am I the only one banging my head against the wall!

Matt Sergeant

As we move more and more fully into an e-commerce economy, it is in the best interests of the e-vendors to welcome as many customers as possible over the psychological hump of sending their credit cards off in a flurry of bits over the internet. Exclusionary tactics designed to gain short-term market share, such as Amazon's aggressive pursuit of questionable patents, will hurt the entire e-commerce industry, and therefore Amazon, in the long run. Please be respectful of your own future, and the open technology that got you where you are today. --James W. Lindenschmidt

James W. Lindenschmidt

I regard this sort of blatant profiteering as contrary to the whole concept of the internet. It is akin to, and as ridiculous as attempting to patent the idea of a total at the bottom of a regular bill. Scratch one more customer.

James Dening

I love using Amazon, and believe the company to be an example of how to do customer service on the web "the right way." Unfortunately, as a customer service company, you've chosen to do technology the wrong way, and my only response can be to look for another place to shop.

Michael S Czeiszperger

Lee Wilmot

Rod Brandt

Adam Stephen

I intentionally went to borders.com for my Christmas shopping because of Amazon's pursuit of the patent and will continue to do so for future purchases. In addition, I urge my family, friends, and colleagues to do likewise whenever possible. It is a sad thing to see a great and revolutionary company doing something so destructive and (in the long run) foolish.

Kenneth Haase

Petty fence building patents will halt the expansion of the internet, and that will harm us all. If you remember the parable of the scorpion and the frog, just because greed is the nature of a corporation, it doesn't make it beneficial to any of those involved. The paradigm has changed, and the good will of the internet users is the lifeline that enables all of us to succeed.

James Terwilliger

Patrick O'Callaghan

Jonathan Meltzer

I have already mailed separately to let Amazon know that I'm joining the FSF's boycott. I remain unpersuaded by the reply from Amazon's staff, and by reading the text of the 1-click patent and the testimony of the various people who participated in the litigation over it. I continue to urge Amazon as a company not to go down the path of proprietary implementations and software patents used as weapons against competitors, but that seems to be exactly what they intend to do. In good conscience I cannot make my on-line purchases from Amazon while they persist in this course of action.

James Wetterau, Jr.

herbert furtenbach

Will Mc Donald

Mike Bowler

Well said, Tim

Chris Rimmer

Jason Wojciechowski

The lawyers are taking control of this world also it seems.

Erik G„vert

Jason Arnold

Patenting like this is like stealing from the internet-community. The community that gave you everything you have now. If you want a patent, at least make an invention.

Peter Vos

Peter Grabowsky

As a frequent buyer of books, I have taken Amazon off my list as my #1 source. Until they lighten up and stop inhibiting innovation, I will no longer shop there. They have lost over 踰 of my money since they started this farce...

Brent Michalski

What more can I say that others haven't already said??

Jonathan W. Rose

Software patents such as these are killing the internet. The internet was built using open standard protocols and software innovations, filing patents on things you build using OPEN STANDARDS software is just evil, and I hope amazon.com gets blown away by the competition.

Paul Schultz

I want to register my support for this letter of protest - trivial patents like this are ultimately self-defeating efforts to privatise intellectual efforts that should be considered common property to us all.

Henry Farrell, MAx-Planck Projecktgruppe on the Law of Common Goods

Emilio Cesar C. Melo

I am in complete agreement with Mr. O'Reilly's remarks concerning Amazon's patents on One-Click Ordering and Affiliates Programs. Unless and until Amazon abandons these ridiculous patents, I will take my business elsewhere, and will encourage the readers of my web site to do the same.

Robert Bruce Thompson

I have used Amazon, and praised the efficiency with which I was serviced. They have built a good machine. Nonetheless, I support Open Source and an open web, and I can't tolerate any attempt to control it. There must be no monopolies, no dictators, no bullies. Please reconsider, Amazon.

Darrell King

I agree wholeheartedly with Tim on this issue. And so, affiliate this, Amazon, my 񘈨/yr will now be going "1-click-away" (no TM) to a competitor, like FatBrain and Powell's. _dave_(no longer an Amazon supporter)

Dave Paulsen

I have purchased quite a few books from Amazon - for myself & as gifts. I am also a software developer, and find their patent for 1-click and now this associates patent disgusting. This cheap "microsoft-like" behavior is beneath them. I seriously hope the re-consider. If the do not, I will not buy anything from them again.

Arron S. King

I'm horrified at what Amazon are doing today, and delighted to see such a respected publisher as O'Reilly speaking out against these patents. Over the last few years I have spent several hundred dollars ordering books from Amazon, but certainly will not be doing so again unless they back down on these ridiculous claims.

Shawn Hargreaves

i have already cancelled my amazon-account a few weeks ago because of this patent system abuse. i was a regular client of amazon (books, cd, dvd) and am now a regular one of dvdexpress, cduniverse and b&n. my webpage carries the noamazon.com link for weeks now and i will continue to support the boycott amazon movement. Sascha, Berne/Switzerland

Sascha Mettler

I have bought many book from Amazon in the past, however I can tell you with clear assuradness that I will NOT be purchasing any more products from Amazon atleast until this patent issue is resolved.

James Tyson

As a consultant, I purchase several books a month on new or new-to-me technologies. As an avid reader, I purchase several more a month from many genres. Once I heard of the enforcement of the 1-click issue against B&N.com, I took my customer support dollars away from Amazon.com, and will continue to do so until they reverse course. I cannot frame my disgust for Amazon's Patent Abuse any better than has already been done, and won't waste anyone's time trying.

Bill Romano

I used to buy about a dozen books a year from Amazon. Since this patent came out I have stoped buying from them as well as well as removed all my associate links to them.

Jose M. Vidal

I hope that you will see very clearly that your customers don't accept your cheap tricks. We internet people are a bright community, and we don't accept brute force. There has been word that it took a while until Amazon's programmers understood that "1-click" means really only 1 click, not one click and one additional confirmation click. Bezos had a hard time to get the message across. But the fact that these programmers are typical programmers doesn't make "1-click" an idea worth patenting!

Christoph Pingel

The web was built on a foundation of trust and with a culture of sharing and "giving back". Amazon's ridiculous software patents are a complete affront to the core values of the Internet. Unlike Mr. O'Reilly, I am not constrained in my actions towards Amazon. As a professional programmer, I buy upwards of 񘘐 - 񘧸 worth of books per year. In light of Amazon's patent tactics, I have shifted my purchases to fatbrain.com and encourage my colleagues to do the same.

Kevin Smith

I would just like to remind everyone that even using amazon.com as a reference site earns them money for every banner ad they serve. Please, refrain from hitting amazon.com for ANY reason! There are other options such as Barnes & Noble: bn.com; Borders: www.borders.com; fatbrain: www.fatbrain.com to name a few.

Eric Wright

I have bought many book from Amazon in the past, however I can tell you with clear assuradness that I will NOT be purchasing any more products from Amazon atleast until this patent issue is resolved.

James Tyson

I'm horrified at what Amazon are doing today, and delighted to see such a respected publisher as O'Reilly speaking out against these patents. Over the last few years I have spent several hundred dollars ordering books from Amazon, but certainly will not be doing so again unless they back down on these ridiculous claims.

Shawn Hargreaves

Henry van Dyk

Tony Finch

Matthew Bloch

Justin Martin

I've been, in the past, an Amazon customer, ordering a variety of books and CDs from their UK "branch". But now, while I don't consider a boycott an effective course of action, I still can't, with a clear conscience, order anything from Amazon's web site. For now, I am just holding off on purchases, but, if the Amazon situation doesn't improve (and, with the new "Affilliate Program" patent, it seems to be worsening), I will, reluctantly, have to start looking around for alternatives. I can't support the abuse of IP any further.

Canis Lupus

Geir Harris Hedemark

Timo Laine

Kay Blaurock

B&N thanks you for my business.

Will Sexton

Chris Shull

Amazon, NO MORE!! Sigh, it is indeed a sad day.

Nish Kohli

Sebastian Djupsj÷backa

It's really a sad day when companies feel they need to use the government, specifically the patent law, as a tool to hurt others. I won't do business with Amazon until they admit that their patents are nothing more than a thinly disguised scheme to prevent competition and discountinue the practice.

Mike Catchpole

Well spoken Tim! I'll still buy O'Reilly books, but not through Amazon...

Michael Lindgren

Matt Gilbert

Tim said it fair better than I could've done -- I'm a developer, not an author. I now consider buying from you equal to undermining the open flow of ideas and innovations which I depend on to do my work. Therefore, it's now a policy in the company I work for not to buy anything from companies like yours that seek to destroy the biggest advantage of our Internet, as opposed to the more proprietary networks, namely that standards and tools and protocols are open and available to all, giving low entry-barriers.

Eivind Kj°rstad

I do not believe in patenting business practices or marketing systems. They arn't inventions. Patenting "1-Click Shopping" is like patenting retailing itself.

Oliver Jones

I cannot stand this kind of extortion. I love Amazon, but I can't in good conscience shop there any longer with this kind of legal shenanigans.

Dan Gentry

Amazon should rely on quality of service rather than patents.

Timothy Sheerman-Chase

Herouth Maoz

I agree, absolutely. Thank you, Tim. I've done the little I can, too: asking amazon.com to cancel my membership in the Associates. (In case people think I'm making a big sacrifice, it hasn't earned me more than a few cents...)

Jerry Peek

I cannot in good faith continue to shop at a company which has a policy of what is essentially stealing. Until Amazon does an about-turn on these patent matters, and preferably apologizes for their actions, I will take my business elsewhere.

Jan Wiberg

I stopped using and recommending Amazon the day I heard about them enforcing the patent on their 1-Click system, which is very nice, but should not be patentable. When they stop this thieving behaviour I will consider using Amazon again; until then I'll just spread bad words about Amazon.

John Hopf

The original 1-click patent gave me serious reservations about dealing with a company like Amazon.com when I could spend my dollars on companies that haven't made a business policy of taking whats offered to them and not offering anything in return. The associates program patent has cinched it. Neither my money, or the money of any company I have purchase authority over will ever be spent at Amazon.com. Sure its only a few thousand dollars, but it adds up. I hope others do the same.

George Hartz

Amazon has converted me to a customer of Barnes and Noble by their outrageous actions regarding patents and the internet. I will never again buy anything from Amazon until they renounce their actions and guarantee that they will not enforce the patents they have been granted

Mark Stracke

It's really a shame it's come to this. Before 1-Click, I always went to amazon, I didn't even consider other vendors. Borders and Barnes & Noble have gotten so much of my money since then. It's been the same with most everyone I know. You tried to corner the market with this patent, and instead squeezed us out of your market.

Tony Lastowka

Sad, very sad.

John McQuillen

It pains me immensely to see companies who had some hope of being ethical and providing a great service to the customer (you don't _sell_ to customers, you don't advertise to them, you help them) reverts to such disgusting tactics to acomplish what? To get more of the market? to become a monopoly? To eventually get sued by everyone and get everyone to hate them? I just don't understand.

Max Pakhutkin

When I first heard about this patent, I also sent an email to Amazon.com and got the same kind of response as Tim mentioned in his article. And, I still disagree with the patent. It is a simple, obvious thing that should have never made it past any kind of initial scrutiny from a halfway educated patent board (which we obviously do not have.) My business has been going to Barnes & Noble ever since.

Susan Aker

I will never purchase anything from Amazon due to their exceedingly obscene business practices. What's next? Patenting credit card payments on-line?

Dave Coker

No comment needed, really. I have been a happy amazone'r, but not any more. There are other sources online.

Stein Skogseth

While I have used Amazon for quite some time now, and am an associate, I believe that what Amazon is doing with the 1-click patent is wrong and shortsighted....

Robert McCown

Richard Karsch

Michael Grant

Olivier Carlier

Joshua Rubin

Wayne Pierce

After carefully reading both the text of the "one-click" patent and the opinions of those who consider the PTO's granting of that patent to be thoroughly misguided, I am clearly in agreement with the latter. Your patent is totally frivolous and its claims are completely covered by a substantial amount of prior art, dating back several years and spanning thousands of contributions to WWW development by many people worldwide. I have no idea why the PTO granted this patent. Perhaps their examiners either lacked the resources or the technical literacy to fully understand the claims you made. As Tim notes in his letter, seeking a patent for defensive purposes is one thing, misguided though it may be in the case of something as obvious and non-novel as this. But your recent actions in this case and the "affiliates" program indicate that you intend to use these patents as a legal bludgeon. Until you come to your senses and realize that such unmitigated greed won't get you very far with your consumers (especially those who have at least a modicum of technical understanding), you won't be getting any business from me.

Alexander Mitelman

Illtud Daniel

This patent is absurd. Amazon, please drop your claim.

Dave Peticolas

I hope you are not naive enough to think you can just weather this one out amazon.

Ger Gorman

the affiliates deal was the last straw for me. i've been promoting amazon since '95, now they're on hold. z.

ziv navoth

I was looking into purchasing a stack of books on Java. With Amazon's constant ridicule of the open atmosphere which originally gave rise to their business model, I will take my business to B&N instead.

Sami Lempinen

In simple words: no Amazon orders from me or my workplace until you change your policy.

Gilad Ben-Yossef

Ron Newman

I would like Amazon to know that I no longer buy from them or refer people to their site. Their site to me is now just a catalog and I order through a book shop even if it sometimes costs more.

Mel Gorman

The game must not (can not) be won at the expense of the consumer. I was an Amazon consumer by night, a web developer by day, but now me thinks I'm gettin' screwed. If Amazon wins this war, then all that's left for me to do is to piss on their spoils.

Bart Wolther

My company GlobeCom AB (http://www.globecom.se/) has until now made most computerbook purchases from Amazon.com but will now be forced to take our business elsewhere at least until you reverse your policy on this issue. Henrik Johnson Technical Prime GlobeCom AB

Henrik Johnson

I feel as Tim does that this kind of trivial patent is a horrible abuse of our patent laws, and already has had a chilling and damaging effect on the fantastically productive and innovative web technology landscape. I intend to boycott Amazon, which is something that goes beyond Tim's objective, but something which I feel I must do in order to preserve the freedom to develop new technologies without walking through a landmine of greedy, unjustified, and short-sighted patents and lawyers.

Henry Minsky

As a regular Amazon customer, I am sickened by the recent bout of software patents (1-Click and Affiliates) registered by the company. The Cookies specification was devised for 1-Click ordering techniques, but was not patented because it is a trivial task and forming proprietary systems on an open-source system such as the Web is hypocritical. I urge Amazon to drop their proceedings against BOL and CDNow and embrace the web, before their customers turn away from yet another 'AOL' or 'Microsoft' of the 21st century.

Ian Abbott

Although Amazon is not the only company to abuse US software-patents, we need to make an example of them by speaking our mind all at once. Only that way can we hope to catch the attention of the other companies that are abusing the software patent law. Amazon make an excellent example because they are a very high-profile company, in a highly competitive market. -- Also, remember http://www.noamazon.com

Mar Orlygson

As a long-time customer and an affiliate both personally and professionally, it pains me to see Amazon abusing the patent system in this manner. I, like many others, will be taking my small chunk of business (several hundred dollars per month) elsewhere until this matter is resolved.

Ron Craswell

The Web started out as free. Let's keep it that way.

John Alex Hebert

This action is totally contrary to the spirit of the Web.

David Bell

Future book orders will only be placed with B&N.

L. A. Weber

This sort of behavior on the part of any commercial entity is inexscusable. One might have hoped that Amazon would know better. At any rate, they've lost my business, and that of friends, family, and random web page visitors I might otherwise have sent their way. It might not amount to much, but I've noticed these things tend to snowball...

Brennen Bearnes

Your patent = crap.

Matt Dieter

Scott Favelle

Rex Rhoades

I used to buy books from Amazon but I will no longer do so because of the patent issues.

Lee Leighton

Still boycotting Amazon...and will continue to do so until they Do The Right Thing.

Kate L Pugh

I used to buy books at amazon, and i wont buy anything from amazon, until the 1-click patent will not longer be in use.

Juergen G. Schimmer

Neil Salyapongse

Henning Holtschneider

Tom White

Your company arguably invented the business model of how what's now called "e-commerce" works. I have always found the Amazon site a pleasure to use, and have always bought books there -- at both the .com and the .co.uk sites. However, my conscience dictates that I cannot support the use of software patents as a predatory practice, so until this matter is resolved, I'm taking my business elsewhere. I hope you sort this out. It's a shame that such a good setup has been ruined by this kind of greedy behaviour.

Justin Mason

Aaron O'Brien

You will reap what you sow...

Robert J. Berger

patenting accepted standards can not and will not be tolerated, revoke your patent

Brandon Alanis

Your service was good, your prices reasonable, and delivery was fast... but your business practices are unacceptable. As one who has been a 'Netizen' since Gopher was state of the art in hypermedia, I consider myself an early adapter. This early adapter is pointing people to www.noamazon.com.

Dave Walker

I've bought from Amazon before but now I'm going back to buying from my local book stores. They don't have frivolous patents. I'll reconsider buying from Amazon when they drop the law suit and when they renounce their patent.

David Talmage

Jeez. If I was Tim Bezos, I'd be wondering: "Hmm. Just how much money do I NEED?" Aren't you already like a triple-gazillionaire? Sell the damn stock, move to the country, raise up some damn kids, and quit taking out insane patents that any rational human would laugh at. Oh yeah: SAN DIMAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RULES!

Josh Walker

I long refused to shop with Amazon, preferring Stacey's for technical books (huge O'Reilly selection!), and used-book stores for classic fiction and soc sci. Now, I refuse to even visit their site; do ye likewise (fewer site hits => fewer "eyballs" => less advertising revenue => lower market cap => coredump)!

K Vainstein

Amazon's behavior is counter to everything that has made the Internet the phenomenon that it is. I boycotted B&N after their predatory attacks on Amazon during their early days. And I'm now abandoning my 1-Click account and removing Amazon affiliate links from my Web site for the same reasons. Until Amazon rejoins the ranks of those who are *building* the Internet and abandons those who are pillaging it for their own gain, don't expect any commerce from me, my family, or my company.

Chuck Shotton

I can only hope that the patent office starts hiring enough scientists to keep up with the flood of software (and genome) patents. However, the blame does not lie in the fact the patent was awarded, but in the strong arm tactics that Amazon is using to enforce a patent, when it should be a trade (or service) mark. Amazon, explain you didn't know the difference between trademarks and patents, and face far less embarassment and ill will than you are generating for yourself with your current position.

Judith Elaine Bush

Rex

Anything I could say here would simply be a repeat of what Tim has already put so eloquently, so I'll just say this: Starting this year, I've been making use of Amazon.com as a reference tool and doing my buying elsewhere. In some cases it costs me a few more dollars, but I'd much rather spend the extra money knowing it won't be used by a company that's biting the hands that feed it. I'd like to propose that if publishers really care about this problem, they enclose a leaflet explaining the problem in everything they distribute through electronic resellers. (I was initially going to suggest that the publishers stop selling through companies with practices like Amazon's. But why should they be forced to suffer because the executives at one of their distributors are acting like buttheads?)

Mark Feit

Tim Howell

Jon Saville

Avdi Grimm

Carlos Gamboa Dos Santos

Heath Tanner

As Tim put it, "you're pissing in the well". As someone who makes a living providing open Internet technology, I drink from this well every day. In my own self-interest, I'm not buying from Amazon until you stop being a threat to the Web.

Mark Koek

Mathieu Guillaume

Wayne Pascoe

David Kennedy

Sam Tobin-Hochstadt

I was a loyal Amazon buyer. Not anymore.

Tim Funk

I buy no more from Amazon till this patent is released to the public domain

Bob Ogden

With regret, I've ceased doing business with Amazon until they return to being a cooperative member of the Web community.

Jon Bloom

Amazon is trading long-term customer relations for short-term shareholder value. How much stock does the management still own and when does it plan to sell it, I wonder.

Stefan Eissing

There's still a way to make the best of this - look what Linus has done with his trademark - but right now it just looks like the same old same old, from people who really should know better.

Christian Hellon

hey amazon,...you just lost a *large* order

Paul Haley

I spent over 񘈨 dollars last year at Amazon, but I will no longer purchase from them until this patent problem is resolved.

Sean Leach

Thanks to Tim O'Reilly for speaking out on this issue. I had enjoyed using the services offered by Amazon.com I will now be giving my ๖+/month to fatbrain.com and bookpool.com instead of amazon.com. I thought you were smarter than to bite the hand that feeds you Mr.Bezos....What a sham(e). :(

Nino Benvenuti

I was shaken by the fact that this was allowed to happend. I certainly will not shop at Amazon.com after reading about this 1-click patent. Further I will make sure that none of my friends do either. I think it is very good that someone is taking action and hopefully this will be reconsidered before it does more harm to the internet community.

Ingemar Henriksson

Though I believe in intelectual property and it's protection, I also believe that it should only apply whenever it comes about after much effort and investment of time and money. A bright, ideia doesn't count, specially if it's an obvious feature. This doesn't even count as a bright ideia. 'nuf said.

Gustavo Carvalho

I first wrote to a letter to Amazon around christmas to let them know I would be taking my business to Bn.com for my holiday book purchases. In return, I got a ฮ gift certificate. Amazon, in my opinion, you were a great company once, but this patent business is inexcusable. You're going to lose quite a bit of business from myself and like-minded folks until you adopt a less antagonistic patent strategy, and focus on your service instead.

David Thiel

Do you really believe that you have a right to patent this technology? This technique was never yours, it was developed long before you were able to pull one over on the patent office. If you continue with this, I assure you that you and your company will live to regret it. The community that you used to build your empire will toss you aside. Hope you enjoy your "man of the year" award while you can. Save some money, it is a short trip. Sincerely, Jeff Coburn

Jeff Coburn

Do you really want to make yourselves the most hated internet retailer? Stop pursuing this trivial and fundamentally indefensible patent. I have ordered from Amazon.co.uk in the past. I will not place any more orders until you see sense. A policy that has seen Barnes and Noble gain orders from me for around 踰 U.S. That could, maybe in your opinion should, have been your money. I'm not alone. How much can you gain from this compared to how much you have already lost and stand to lose in the future?

Michael Cottle

This patent ordeal has reached a very high point in how the system can be abused. Asking or pleading to a company or an individual to abandon a patent that was made out of self egocentrism is a good start. But appealing to every such individual is next to impossible and striking at a big company like Amazon is a logical course. But I think a better approach would be sending the same pleas to the system that is responsible for such misshaps would have greater results. So I urge a person with high publicity value to start such a campaign.

Dmitry Schwartsman

I strongly object Amazon's policy on software patents. Futhermore, I will not purchase anything from Amazon until they change their stance on these two specific (1-Click and Affiliate) issues.

Jussi Hannunen

Oliver O'Hehir

Others have suggested it, and I will too. Assign the patents to the FSF. Let them (and companies who sign over their patents) use these patents as "defensive bargaining chips" against companies who use patents to attack Free Software or the companies who support them.

Brad Garcia

Terence Mac Goff

Peter Hofmann

Mike Muise

Rikard Anglerud

Creating shareholder value is pretty important, but by abusing wrongly granted you'll eventually loose your first and most important resource: your consumerbase. I suggest you read 'net gain' from Hagel & Armstrong (I guess you should know where to find that book), so that you can realize that the competitive advantage in business-to-consumer sites will heavily depend on the creation of active communities around your site.

Bram Kerkhof

Mark Roberts

Jon Wilson

David Hallowell

William Montgomery

Gill Martin

Reagan Blundell (UK)

I strongly object to Amazon's patenting practices that are extremely harmful to the development of the Internet and e-commerce at large.

Tatu Ylonen

Agreed totally. These broad ideas do not fit the requirements of patents. Can we also address the matter to the responsible elected officials for the Patent Office?

Don Armstrong

The whole 1-click-patent is kinda silly - i bet there was someone who developed this waaay before Amazon put a name on it. Amazon's use of patents to stop other from using this kind of techniques is like saying that noone else should be able to write gui's, except for Microsoft. (or someone else for that matter)

Mats Lindh (NO)

I agree. I've been thinking about patenting a "No-Click" process where the web browser remembers something about me so that the next time I visit, I don't have to identify myself. Of course, my new technology will leverage the power of cookies, a little-known browser feature that is just waiting to be exploi...err...I mean leveraged. As a matter of fact, amazon.com would be in direct violation of this patent. Hmmmm...off to the Patent Office...

Michael Swanson

Although I understand that a company must protect their ideas. The idea of one click buying is not such an idea. Pantents on software causes wheels to be reinvented instead of using solid foundations. Amazon need not feel that they are being singled out. It is just as easy to raise protest against a company that takes unfair measures against Amazon. However since Amazon is the one that is taking an unfair measeure, I am participating the this boycott until such time as this policy is reversed. Please keep in mind that mistakes are to be reversed, and fixed mistakes result in a new relationship between company and customer. I strongly encourage Amazon to release their patent as they were a wonderful resource for me to buy informative books.

Jeffrey Eugene Crawford

Brian Kelly

Although I would much rather purchase my books at Amazon, the current situation has forced me to shop somewhere else (B&N for instance), until Amazon gives up on enforcing this ridiculous patent. I encourage others to do so as well.

Remmelt de Haan

George Grewgious

Jon Edwards (UK)

Emmet Hikory

I never thought of the Amazon Patent as theft, or at least not giving back to the community that gave them the platform to make money. I now don't feel so bad about not buying books/CDs from them. Count me in on the boycott, chaps! Thanks Tim.

David Jolley

Thomas Eibner

Amazon has embraced many innovative features of the web that other companies have shunned - such as deep linking and using their customers to help sell their products. I fail to see how regressing to a big monolithic company intent on stamping out all competition is going to appeal to their user base.

Richey Smith

Cheryl Maynard

For a company which is devoted to spreading knowledge through books, this patent goes against the free flow and use of information around the world. I don't understand why people keep patenting stupid things like ideas in software, they will just make writing programs for rest of us much,much harder. I can see a day when software development is going to be like traversing a room filled with barbed wire. No-one gets across without being torn to pieces, and then people just do not bother. And then the proprietary companies will then have won.. I will not be using Amazon until they see sense. Sorry, but there are other places to buy books from, and perhaps customer pressure might do something.

Arron Shutt

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Marcos Paulo Hauer

Ingo Kegel

Amazon is throwing away the very substance of what it has developed during the past few years. It's reputation as the world's most famous Internet success story threatens to be tarnished, possibly permanently scared. Rather than going down in history as the company who pioneered e-retailing on a large scale, it will be remembered as the company who pioneered stupendously stupid 'software' (can we even call it software?) patents. This will not help Amazon in the long run, and will force many of their loyal customers to competitors. I for one now shop at Fatbrain.com for all my technical books. I cannot say it any louder. Listen up Amazon, refine your ways, do an about-turn in PR and set a good example to your competitors by abandoning your patents and pledging to cease the entire patent crusade.

Ben Myles

Anthony H. O'Bryan

Did you ever see that shampoo commercial, where the people just multiplied over and over again, sort of looking like the beginning of the Brady Bunch show? Amazon will reap its destined reward with the number of anti-referrals which will spawn from me and other intelligent people who know when to draw the line. Word-of-mouth can make or break a business, so just give it a little bit more time. The "Microsoft of the internet" shall suffer given its current mode of thinking. Repent, spin, dry, but do not agitate. Do the right thing and let patents be for the real genuine thing. Get real about what you are trying to patent here.

Ethan Weeks

I'll be doing business with Amazon's competitors from now on.

Joseph Ringh

Speaking as a customer and occasional shareholder, I'd like to state my displeasure in Amazon.com's patent-protection legal practices, and would highly encourage them to stop those practices, lest I take my money elsewhere.

Jim Whitfield

Alexander Larsson

Jani Ekqvist

I applaud Tim's opinion and agree wholeheartedly, particularly with respect to the open gift of opportunity that the Web presented to Mr. Bezos. I hope he will consider this gift and remember the implications of Amazon's "patent".

Eric

Although I spent a fair amount of money at Amazon last year, and value their services greatly, I joined the boycott as soon as I became aware of it, and will continue to avoid using Amazon for online book (and CD) purchases for as long as they keep persuing this patent.

Adam Spragg

Like many other longtime repeat Amazon customers, I will be going elsewhere for book, music, and video purchases until such time as they stop using invalid patents offensively. In addition to being contrary to everything that put Amazon where it is, Amazon does its stockholders a disservice. First, as you see here, you have created a great deal of ill-will among your core customer base. Second, you waste a significant amount of money pursuing a case that you most likely will ultimately lose.

Dave Fuhs

I've been programming for Web sites since the bad old days of the mid-90's, and I've been using cookies and other technologies to track sessions and access user information since the beginning. And I'd gladly testify to that in court, if necessary. Amazon's "patent" is a shocking, bald-faced lie. I can hardly praise Tim O'Reilly enough for his continuing demonstration that you can honor a commitment to Doing the Right Thing in the software business and still be very successul. Why don't companies like Amazon understand this? I am enthusiastic about buying from O'Reilly, not just because the books are excellent, but also because Tim and his company inspire me to give them my money.

Geoff Simmons

Brian Clark

Anders Munck

Andrew Whitwham

Maurice Buxton

Ronald J. Clark

Ola Torstensson

This is exactly the kind of land-grabbing you'd expect from today's corporations destroying the fabric of what really made the internet what it is today. I will not shop again with Amazon until this is dropped.

James Wilkins

Pierre Neihouser

Michael Costall

Êsmund Tjora

Tim says it all.

Dave Sheridan

Christian Tanzer

Kevin Johnson

Karl Knutsson

Leon Widdershoven

Eric Warmenhoven

Bernhard Rosenkraenzer

This is good, people taking a stand for what they believe in - damn i like it. Amazon - you're going down !!

Paw R. Olesen

Johannes Beigel

Holger Hoffstaette

What's next? Patenting wallets?

tor fosheim

I have been reading most of the comments that are submitted here and one thing that struck me was how polite and insightfull the comments are. The people commenting here are *not* mindless goons shouting for another boycott because everyone else is doing so. These people are really offended by what's happening and are taking the time, like I am, to say something about it. I hope someone at amazon.com will get to read all these coments and get the message. I also hope other companies considering similar tactics will see why these tactics are unethical and indeed may form a danger to the Web.

Reinout Hoornweg

Bad form Amazon - how greedy can one company get?

Michael Merlin

Aaron Denney

Tord Jansson

Software patents are anathema. Arrogance and greed have consequences. Bad company, no donut. No more money for you from me...

Tamara Munzner

Lee Genz

This is a serious issue and we will certainly be taking our own steps to help education consumers and developers to these practices. The Ring Group, Istanbul, Turkey

Jeff Merriam

Until recently, I was very satisfied with the service provided by Amazon. However, until they have realised the error of their ways, my business will be going elsewhere and I will be advising my colleagues to do likewise.

Andrew Eacott

In this process I have become increasingly supportive of Oreilly and decreasingly impressed with Amazon. I think the whole thing is a tragedy, because Amazon does offer a great service. The freedom of information IS the root of a new intellectual movement, and it will not be stopped by selfish interests.

Kyle Cranmer

I support Tim O'Reilly and his calls for this patent to be surrendered. It can be shown that the concept of cookies to save personalisation settings existed for at least 12 months before amazon's presence on the web (or indeed anywhere). Since their "1-Click" is to all intents and purposes a clever branding of this process, I do not feel that a patent is appropriate - they may like to consider a trademark application for the name?

Jonathan Care

Alik Widge

I would love to be a financial genius and point out all the ways that Amazon is hurting themselves. I would love to be able to understand exactly what they patented and how that puts them in a position to sue Barns & Noble. I would like to have enough technical knowledge to be able to prove what Amazon is doing is wrong. But I am just an average consumer. I used to have a funny feeling Apple had single click patented because you had to double click everything in Windows. But, as I said, I am just a consumer. I only know that legal fees make products cost more. I know that my taxes increase to pay the judges salaries. I know that competition is good for me as a consumer. I know that it is the consumer that ultimately keeps you in business. I know that a business can be run without profit for only so long before the investors in that business decide the CEO was a con artist and his business plan was a scam. I know that I have referred at least 25 people to Amazon because you seemed to have so much on the ball compared to anyone else. I know that anyone loosing a game starts cheating. You are Cheating. INVESTORS DON'T BACK LOOSERS. So, stop cheating and looking like a looser. In the mean time, while you get your ducks in a row, I'll be buying my books at an old fashion walk in book store. I've told all the people I referred to you to stop using Amazon. That list includes: my mom, dad, 3 sisters, 3 brothers, a dozen co-workers, and a few of my friends. I'm sure they will pass the word along. You may find that the hype your business is based on works double when used against you. A lifetime of achievement is ruined by a single dishonorable act. It only takes one time. This is that one time. Fix It.

Jason Pippin

<sarchasm> Why doesn't Amazon try to get a patent on having a website or maybe breathing. I'm sure that there are no cases of prior art. </sarchasm>

Carsten Svaneborg

Jos‰ Igor Tßmara Pati±o

Emily Winch

David Riddoch

Jonathan Montgomery

Martijn de Vries

Douglas Krick

David DeGeorge

Amazon.com has lost my business.

Ryan Earl

James Lanfear

Antonio Lagana

You have one less customer, Amazon.

Matt Ebb

No Amazon books for me while this lasts...

Arjen Roos

RMS never speaks with a forked kernel.

Matt Christoff

freedom. freedom of information... freedom of ideas... freedom... and all will benefit.

Ricardo Contreras

Build it and they will come, Fence it and they will stay away in their millions.

Mark Chettle

A very wierd patent. How can someone patent a "Cookie" based system?? I shan't be using 1-Click anymore. Andy

Andy Williams

No business of mine or my company will be given directly or indirectly to Amazon until a written undertaking has been made by them to cease these absurdities. The initial request for the patent is offensive in the extreme.

Martyn J. Pearce

I hope Amazon have enough of a sense of justice so that they do not continue with stealing others ideas and patenting them as their own.

Andrew Wilson

As a naval officer stationed overseas I was one of the first Amazon customers, since Amazon made it easy for me to purchase books not available overseas otherwise. Now, however, as a law student specializing in intellectual property issues I must reconsider my previous appreciation and admiration for Amazon. I strongly urge Amazon to do the right thing and cease attempts to enforce its trivial ecommerce patents.

Ernest Miller

Any proficient software engineer would be ashamed to have his/her name on the patent application. If this is the heigth of genius Amazon has to offer...

Emile Heyns

Such software patents are for me a sad example of a larger problem: business competing not anymore with the quality of products but with the abuse of laws, regulations and institutions.

Dr. Christoph Tietz

Kent Neier

Trivial and malicious software patents are poison to the very software industry that gave you your current position. I will boycott your (otherwise excellent) service until these claims are dropped.

Alex Brown

I've used Amazon for a couple of years now and was always extremely pleased with their service. Unfortunately I can no longer purchase from them, and I encourage them to change this ridiculous policy as soon as possible.

Alisdair McDiarmid

I have always felt that Amazon provides one of the best interfaces for ordering books. However, I cannot support the use of such a trivial patent to beat down your competition. I will (regrettably) be taking my business elsewhere unless your patent policy changes.

Paul Pelzl

Its a disgrace whats happening, I only hope that someone quickly overturns this patent. It shows no respect or responsibility towards the medium and technology that allowed Ama-stole.com to reach the size it has. Needless to say I will not purchase books from them at all. Michael

Michael Stromberg

Please back off from this silly patent. I used to like your company, but your abuse of the patent system has changed my mind.

Keith Hankin

This is a stupid patent that anyone with a little knowledge of the web could 'invent'. I disagree with it wholeheartedly, and have therefore boycotted buying from Amazon. I instead go to my high street store, or order from a competitor of yours. Maybe if you loose enough customers who normally buy expensive manuals will you see that people do feel strongly on this, and that it makes sense for it to be dropped - it will increase your profits.

Mark Godfrey

I used to be a huge Amazon customer. Living in South Africa, I found that they stocked books that I just couldn't get anywhere else, and Amazon's customer service was always excellent. However, since this patent frenzy of theirs, I have started using alternatives like Barnes & Noble, and I have found them to be a more than acceptable alternative. I have placed over 35 orders with Amazon in the last 3 years and spent an obscene amount of money there. Oh well, Amazon's loss... their competitor's gain. I just can't spend my money at such an unethical bussiness.

Peter Knowles

Trivial and malicious software patents are poison to the very software industry that gave you your current position. I will boycott your (otherwise excellent) service until these claims are dropped.

Alex Brown

As a software developer for an internet company, I was an early customer of Amazon, and as a collector of first-edition hardback books, for a while I also made extensive use of your auction area. I have not visited amazon.com or amazon.co.uk since the day Richard Stallman called for the Amazon boycott in protest of Amazon's decision to enforce it's One-click patent with an injunction against Barns & Noble. As an avid reader I spend a considerable sum on books - I will be taking my business to your competitors (Barnes & Noble in particular) until Amazon changes it's stance on silly internet functionality patents.

Janice Wright

I didn't realize the potential ramifications of Amazon's patent claim on the future of the Internet until I read Tim O'Reilly open letter. My first impression was that it seemed like a good way to keep new ideas from being imitated and that Amazon was simply trying to protect's it branding of "One click". I realize now that this approach would seriously have stifled the growth of the Internet had it been enforced early on. Can someone like Yahoo come along and say they have a patent on web site directories or it's widely used categorization system? What about portals? Although, I won't go all out to boycott Amazon, I will certainly think twice about shopping at Amazon.

Juan Camacho

I own an ISP and am widely respected in my community regarding technology issues being also a member of our regional technology council. As a person, I have ceased to do business with Amazon, there are too many alternatives and I find their action, which is akin to seeing some one urinate and then patenting "urinating in a closed room", quite horrifying in terms of what it reveals about their corporate attitude. If that's how they're doing business now, what happens when they achieve the real power that comes when they finally become insanely profitable? I doubt they'll suddenly come down with a case of morals. At my company, we are ceasing to do business with Amazon until their attitude improves. All of our employees have been briefed on this issue and all of our customers have been notified of Amazon's actions; we advise them to stay away from Amazon and help them find alternatives. Likewise in my position on the Regional Tech. Council, I also am ensuring that everyone knows about this issue as well as understanding just how basic cookies and the idea of giving someone a percentage for a sales referral (affiliates program) really are...and how Amazon's actions are threatening economic development in our region and in our state (although not limited to us).

Lon R. Stockton, Jr.

Tim Ostler

Adam Thomason

Marrije Schaake

Ulf K„ck, Sweden

Luc Van Hoeylandt

Kevin Kent

Emil KIRSCHNER

David Porter

Chris Winkler

David Oggs

Steve Calder

Rudi Sluijtman

Paul Hernaus

I had respect for Amazon until this 1-click patent nonsense. This is no longer the case, at least until they smarten up and drop this frivilous patent. I thought of this application for cookies years ago. I, much like others, also considered this a trivial use of cookies and not worth a patent. <p> I think that taking the work of others, who give it away freely for the betterment of all people, and patenting something that will hinder the growth of more innovation is despicable. Amazon, you should be ashamed of yourself! This action brands you not as a member of the community, but as a bandit who preys upon the community, having dollar signs as their only motivation. <p> Until this patent is overturned, i openly suggest people use www.noamazon.com instead of the other one.

Cam Mayor

Didier Leimbach

Graham Green

Patrick Keller

Ville Salmensuu

Greed gone mad!

David Hass

Marcin Gorycki

Down with this sort of thing!

Leo Talbot

customerlost++

Gulam Faruque

Now, I use www.fatbrain.com.

Alexandre Dulaunoy

You've lost my business. 'Nuff said.

St Aardvark the Carpeted

Play fair! Give up your patents, please. Or don't expect anyone I know to shop at Amazon's.

Roland Mas

Nis Donatzsky Hansen

No more Amazon purchases from me while they keep this nonsense up. Off to bol.com ...

Leon Verrall

Hm. Amazon: a user of Apache (v 1.3.6), and reputedly, of FreeBSD. Obviously Mr Becos just doesn't "get it."

Ewing Caldwell

Even though amazon.de offers great service, I haven't ordered a book with them since RMS asked for the boykott - down with silly patents!

Britta Koch

I am disappointed even to imagine someone can make a patent on someonelse's idea

Emilio Anzon

Hopefully ordinary people and politicians soon will realize that the benefits (?) of the patent system is by by far outweighted by the disadvantages.

H…kon L°vdal

Martin Fluch

Hi Tim, I'm behind you and RMS on this whole issue. I will no longer support Amazon.com until these petty patents issues are dropped! "pissing in the well... " hehehe how true!

Chris Steinke

In 1999 I spent 軕.12 at Amazon.com. In 2000 I have spent Ũ.00. As long as Amazon.com continues this shameful patent suit I will use Amazon to find books and buy them elsewhere.

Brett Peters

Well, as a lot of ppl already said, until amazon drops their ridicilous patent, I wont buy another book from them. Search their site for books, yes, but buying them elsewhere.

Stefan Lindstrom

Amazon's service isn't worth their bad vibe. I'm shopping elsewhere now. Tim, why is the patent office is allowed to operate like this? They're destroying our collective prosperity! Jeff, go outside and look up at the stars.

Jon Cox

I have always used Amazon before as I felt they offered a great service, and have encouraged my friends and family to do so. Now with this greedy abuse of the patent system I shall take my business elsewhere, and shall encourage them to do so as well. Cian

Cian O'Connor

I can't remember not buying my books from Amazon: reasonable prices, swift shipping, all in all good service. But I will not buy another book from them until they stop this nonsense patent business which is, as Tim points out, a slap in the face of all the Web pioneers. Dag Hovden, The Netherlands

Dag Hovden

Trying to patent something that is a fundamental part of the HTTP protocol (ie, the cookie) is a *Bad* move. IMNSHO it constitutes unfair business practice; it gains you nothing, it steals others' work for your commercial misuse and it stops other people using what is an open protocol. Until you desist I shall persist in boycotting Amazon and continue to inform folks as appropriate. ~Tim

Tim Haynes

Entrepreneurship is necessary for the advancement of economy and society. This kind of corporate behaviour makes it despicable, and that in itself is to be deplored. The real guilt lies with the US PTO, judges and politician who will ruin the system by allowing its abuse. But having the right to do something is no excuse for doing it.

Bernard Lang

Amazing this was ever allowed. It makes a mockery of an already outdated patent system. This would be funny if it did not directly and adversly affect the freedom of the internet. This patent is stealing from those who were involved in the creation of the net and all those who use it in there everyday lives. The internet is about open standards - these standards are not then to be hijacked by companies such as amazon in a futile attempt to become an on-line monopoly.

Mark Williams

This 1-click patent is ridiculous. I feel it is an obvious application of the purpose of cookies as stated in the Netscape document which created cookies. The example in the document makes it very ovious that 1-click is exactly what the creators of the cookies had in mind. </i> I am in complete agreement with Tim on all he said and I wish to thank him for stating it so clearly. I just can't see how software patents are ever going to be more beneficial to the computing trade than their former absence used to be. Copyright law is more than enough protection for anyone's work.

Jean-Marc Libs

Amazon.com and it's associated sites have always had my respect for being a leading example of how to do business on the Internet - providing a user-friendly and forward-thinking browsing and purchasing environment. They have consistently innovated, and have lead the field. I have been proud to cite Amazon as an example to my customers. Amazon's successes have finally spawned credible competition. Amazon as a company has to respond to the change in environment to maintain their position. However, it is my belief that their current actions, viz. restricting the technology available to others through legal means, is absolutely the wrong way to go. There is plenty of energy within Amazon to meet the challenge of the expanding marketplace, without having to resort to attempting to cripple the opposition. Run an honest race, Amazon. It got you where you are today, don't turn your back on your own history.

Jim Cheetham

I will also no longer support Amazon.com until these petty patents issues are dropped!

Hidetaka YOSUMI

Ryan Richter

Alan Braggins

Glenn Handeland

I sympathise with Amazon: it's very easy to overestimate the originality of one's own ideas. Sadly, not only does the patent have zero technical merit, but it fuels distrust for & contempt of Amazon. I've stopped shopping there.

Andrew Forrest

Jos Backus

Iqbal Shamsul

Kari Asikainen

Steve Johnston

Brent McLeod

I was always taught that a patent could only ever be granted for non trivial innovations that contribute to the state of the art. Patents were originally created for a person to protect years of work and investement from being stolen by unscupulous people, not for someone with a bright spark to hold the world ransom. In this light I can only see your patents as a perversion to the whole spirit or the system, a perversion that will slowly rot the fruit from the inside. When patents are used like this, they demean the whole idea of patents, and that is a tragedy.

Marc Gimpel

Joshua Yambert

Nicola Turner

Amazon got the patents, their competitiors got my business...

Louis REINARD

I don't think I need add anything to the letter -- says it all, really. Cheers.

Stuart Lamble

I despise the 1-click patent and won't deal with a company that does such unethical things.

Peter Mutsaers

Its a shame that Amazon can gain so much from free technology and then slap the free technology in the face. What horrible greed.

Kevin Stelzer

Count me in, Mr. O'Reilly. I love your books, and I totally agree with your letter. I'll go to fatbrain.com to buy your books. ;-)

Glenn Arndt

Stopped using Amazon (UK) as soon as I heard about this. The great thing about the internet: an alternative is always close by.

Stephen Watkins

So I gave y'all the same email address that I use at your site, so that you can map the customer to the opinion. I completely understand patenting/attempting to patent petty/obvious technologies; if you don't do it, someone else will. But going after people for doing something that is obvious is not something I will ever support. It's bricks 'n' motar B&N for me until you wisen up, and behave fairly.

Dilum Ranatunga

Brendan Kehoe

It's a real kick in the teeth to see the poster-child of forward-looking, innovative Internet businesses behaving in such a short-sighted, backward-looking way.

David Salgado

While I have always considered Amazon a great company, this is too serious. As long as Amazon's position remains the same, I will support the NoAmazon initiative (www.noamazon.com).

Jonas Beckman

You have certainly lost my business until you end this foolish patent enforcement.

Craig T. Snydal

I am disappointed by the use of patents from Amazon who built the business upon the generosity of the people who made the web. i stopped buying anything at their place until they change their mind.

Guillaume PROUX

I want to like amazon.com because I feel like it's a hometown success story...after hearing about your "1 click ordering" patent, it seems that Amazon is too big and too powerful. I have shopped amazon.com in the past but not until I hear that this issue is resolved.

JB McDaniel

We no longer buy our books from Amazon as a result of their patent, and this is actually company policy (we use the Amazon site to look up books and info, but wil not buy anything from them until they drop the patent application). I am personally encouraging our associate companies to adopt the same policy.

Neil Newell

I've been a happy amazon customer since Jan '97 and have spent a lot of money with them. Right now I don't have an alternative to get US books at an acceptable price point in Germany, but that will change when other book sellers catch on. And then there's going to be one amazon customer less.

Dirk Reiners

Daniel Barrero

As a web developer I am all too familiar with what happens when proprietary interests get in the way of innovation. As a web developer I have purchased a lot of books, almost all from Amazon. I will no longer purchase _anything_ from Amazon, neither will my friends or family until they can pull their heads out of their asses. -Jonathan Younger

Jonathan Younger

The patents claimed by Amazon are clearly technically vacuous and trivial. I use Amazon regularly, but if its policy is to compete via pointless and clearly plagiaristic patents, which are clearly deposited in the most general terms possible, rather than on quality-of-service, I won't be doing so in future.

George Buchanan

Maybe a trademark would be appropriate for the term "One-click ordering", but there is no way this patent should have been granted or enforced.

Nigel Metheringham

As somebody who has made great use of Amazon either purchasing directly, or indirectly (as other friends have ordered), I shall not be involving Amazon in any future purchasing decisions. I shall also encourage all my friends and family to do the same. As somebody who has contributed (in a small way) to the Open Source community, I find it insulting to all those who have freely contributed their efforts, just so you can attempt to acquire these transparently trivial algorithms. To claim these as inventions is fraudulent, and I hope that you reverse your direction on this matter.

Jon Eaves

Dalton Serey

I just read the patent application - my first thought was 'yes, and?...' Maybe I should go and patent my idea of having pictures on a web site to make them more interesting :-)

Ian Buxton

Lennart Rasmusson

no comment

Marco Mariani

I don't believe in software patents, as the danger of abuse far outweigts the gains from use. Amazon enforcing the 1-click-parody, will surely jepordize whatever good use SW patents have in the first place.

Frank Stevenson

Andy Gimblett

Mickey Everts

Joop Boonen

Daniel Martinus Moelbaek

Have a care Amazon ...

Nick G

I have defended Amazon.com in public in the past when I felt that complaints against it were unwarranted. I was definitely a loyal Amazon.com customer. Now I am seeing my loyalty defiled in the shape of these patents. It is clearly time for me to stop supporting Amazon.com with my purchases, and to also cancel (and encourage others to cancel) Amazon.com affiliate relationships.

Stuart Whitmore

Like many other people signing this letter, I will not purchase from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk until this patent is placed in the public domain.

Phil Harrison

Another former amazon customer

Struan Donald

100% in agreement. 1-click purchasing is hardly an innovation. Period.

Andy Key

Stefan Berglund

I stopped buying books from Amazon when RMS put the call out about the patent. Fatbrain, B&N, and the local Borders brick-and-mortar have received the โ-贶 I spend each month. I don't need Amazon.com to get my books, obviously, and I successfully encourage others to purchase books from other sources because of Amazon's patent stance.

Chris Jones

Count me in - I believe this patent thing is complete nonsense. --alex

Alexandre Takacs

Andy Gimblett

Even though you havn't called for a boycott I will no longer be buying from Amazon (or Amazon UK) until this matter is resolved.

Andy Guy

This case is an excellent argument for the European Community not to approve patents on software. This is maybe the only positive thing about it ;-)

Bernard Pinon (Paris, EU)

Until this patent is dropped I won't be ordering anything from you, which is a pity because I liked the service. Until then though I'll go to your competitors or a bookshop.

James Skinner

I was an enthusastic supporter of Amazon, but I condemn their approach to the community that has put them where they now are. The beauty of the internet is that as a community we have a combined voice that should be large enough to make a difference.

Lindsay Davies

I used to present Amazon as the example of how to create a successful business on your own merit, rather than by harming (potential) competitors. Now I can't even use Amazon myself in good conscience.

Per Abrahamsen

Crystal Trexel

Please give up your right to your business process patents -- they do nothing to serve your interests. Please compete on your own merits.

Thomas Lakofski

I used to love shopping at Amazon purchasing both books, cd's as well as other items. While I understand the need to protect your intellectual property, this patent does not cover IP owned by amazon. As such I will not be purcashing any products from Amazon until this patent has been dropped.

Antony Wuth

I'm not normally one to take this kind of stance. But it's time to change. I've watched too many of these things go by thinking that it would be a good idea to do something and finally I've come to getting off my ass and doing something about it. Bye bye Amazon. From now on my business is going elsewhere.

Kurt Olsen

Lets nip this nonsense in the bud now. Well said Tim.

Leigh Dodds

It's a shame. I really didn't want to stop shopping at Amazon, because the service has always been impeccable. You got your first-to-market advantage already, Amazon - I would never have considered going to any of the copycat johnny-come-latelies like B&N before. But by pursuing these (frankly untenable) patents you are not acting like the worst kind of corporate bully we've seen outside of the web, but also retarding the growth of the countless other web sites who are not even your competitors.

Andrew Clover

While this silly patent dispute gose on I will not buy anything from amazon.

David Fromosa

I have spent over 辎 at Amazon over the last year, and I love their site and service, but I will be buying elsewhere until they relent on this rediculous position that they "invented" the idea of attatching information to a cookie "key"--That's what cookies were designed for! As a web application developer, I truly feel that attempts like this one to appropriate (read steal) open technologies like the use of cookies is a direct threat to my livelyhood. Comon Jeff! Do you really think the "one-click" gimimck is all that stands between you and corporate death?! You got to where you are because of excellent customer service, vision, and excecution-- not a kindegarten level toy-grab.

Joel Boehland

I urge Amazon, a company which I have to date regarded highly, and whose services I have often used, to reconsider this short-sighted act, which I am sure will be counter-productive from their point of view, as well as generally harmful.

Brian Randell

PJ Hellyer

Jonas Olsson

Stephan Ichiriu

Samuel Marshall

Christine M. Lingenfelter

Nicholas Murphy

yet another former amazon customer...

Greg Brown

In solidarity with Richard Stallman, Tim Oreilly, and all others resisting Amazon.com's (Jeff Bezos) attempted abuse of what has become of an archiac perspective in regards to Intellectual Property. Amazon.com and Mr. Bezos, you and your co-conspiritors have produced, in your response to "the letter", a clearly shortsighted and arrogant approach that has resulted in a collective signiture on the death certificate of the model in question... RIP

radicalis - the roots of change

Michael Rozhavsky

The one-click patent is an abuse of the patent law and an insult to serious technology innovation. It is also a threat to all new entrants in the technology marketplace who do not have the legal resources to combat your racket. This move reveals that Amazon.com intends to employ the same quasi-legal mafia-style marketing techniques used by Microsoft to crush competitors. Consequently I will continue to use Amazon for identifying books but I'll take pleasure in purchasing them elsewhere. May all your stock be shorted...

Alec Permison

Ulrik Haugen

Hey Jeff: do you really like the idea that your cool new-economy powerhouse is acting like... Unisys? Your 1-Click patent isn't just questionable, it's absurd and will undoubtedly fail the first time it is challenged. It's a waste of everyone's time and effort, including your own. Until Amazon ceases to pursue frivolous patents I will shop elsewhere.

Neil Kandalgaonkar

Dick Middleton

Raymond Smith

Bye bye Amazon

Jack Huang

I fully agree to this letter!

Jan Rune Hogstad

I'd laugh at the whole thing if it wasn't so sad.

Garrett Coakley

Patenting old news and trivialities must stop.

Jan Roger Wilkens

Incredible how someone can be allowed to patent something so apperent /Tobias

Tobias Adamson

Jason Casey

Kim Mason

Keep the web open! Big thanks to im O'Reilly for expressing an opinion shared by many in such thoughtful words.

Tomas Perez

Thanks for hosting an area where we can be heard. Hopefully It will make a difference. Jeff: Stop This nonsense!!!

John Michael Keller

I urge amazon.com to reconsider the patenting of technologies that they by no means invented, that will only hurt small web based companies.

William Bunyan

Quit acting like a POS. Until you amend your ways I will personally ensure all my friends and family as well as anyone who will listen will not shop at your site.

Martin Jackson

Upon learning of Amazon's software patent activity, I ceased buying from them. Moreover, I am actively urging to not shop at Amazon, but to instead patronize one of Amazon's competitors.

Kevin Buettner

Colman Reilly, ex-Amazon Customer

I was a regular customer at amazon.com until these recent patent foul ups. Now I refuse to purchase there anymore. There are other online resellers and you are NOT as indespensable as you think.

Samuel Hazel

I heartily support Tim's views as expressed above. My on-line book orders are now going through BOL and Waterstones, and will remain that way until Amazon clean up their act with regard to software patents.

Tim Franklin

One more attempt at patent abuse = one fewer customer. I have today cancelled my currently outstanding order with amazon.co.uk, and will now buy exclusively from your competitors. Please reconsider.

Sean McGeever

Very much agreed.

Michael Goren

It seems sad that the company which created the concept of e-commerce as the vast bulk of the population know it, may also be the company to ultimately bring about the end of the same. You can't steal a basic technology and not expect to be noticed.

Fintan Ryan

Despite having made numerous purchases from Amazon and recommended it to both friends and family, I feel that I can no longer support such a company so long as they continue to use software patents in such a stifling and counter-productive manner.

Paul Holden

Today amazon lost another customer to BOL. Where does this patent thing end? Will yahoo patent the idea of a search spider? Why don't Amazon go all the way and patent the idea of a book E-Commerce store. That way they can kill ALL the competion in one go!

David Maddison

Tim brought up every point that could be made about your attempts exploit the ignorance of the US Patent Office, so I won't add to it. I'd just like to reiterate that the potential gains from these trivial patents are far outweighed by all the potential problems.

Rene Fromhold-Treu

Amazon - It's not too late to do the Right Thing and back off from these destructive patents.

Tony Mountifield

I felt that the original patent on 1-click shopping was a poor idea but this new patent on the affiliate program is adding insult to unjury. I have already stopped using Amazon for purchases and will now cancel my outstanding orders with them. I will also try persuading several of friends who run affiliate links on their websites to stop doing so. I would point out to Mr Bezos that he may "patent" himself out of business, just as fast as he innovated himself into it.

Alan Ward

first the 1-click, now the affiliates. result: I'm removing my wish list, and will be shopping somewhere else.

Morten Wang

Everyone that attached their names to this letter are doing so because they have a problem with your theft from the public domain. Do you need a slide rule to piece his together? AT THIS POINT YOU'RE YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY!!

Jann Rinken

amen, tim! i have switched ALL of my business to fatbrain, barnes, etc. i am not opposed to legitimate software patents however affiliate programs, reverse auctions, etc. are ridiculous and could really threaten the future of ecommerce.

mike wheeler

Amazon was the site which first truly showed how the web could make commerce easier and better - a simple, brilliant service. It makes me particularly sad that they are also one of the first to show how commerce may soon make the web another corporate "wasteground", where little guys are kept out of the market with "lawyer power", and anyone who disseminates information freely is stamped on. It's a short step from your patent lawsuit against a competitor to suing the W3C for publishing the cookie specs that 1-Click(TM :-) is based on. The intelligent people who are building the rest of the web around you - and who built many of the platforms on which your company depends - read a lot of books. Whilst you may have your sights set on selling trashy romances to every housewife in middle America, I believe that you can't afford to lose our support and our custom. I used to love Amazon - its a great, quick way to pick up the books I need, and I'm currently getting through 1 or 2 large, expensive technical tomes a week. I won't be spending any of that money with Amazon until they start playing fair, however. How many other customers are you losing?

Simon Batistoni

Amazon was the site which first truly showed how the web could make commerce easier and better - a simple, brilliant service. It makes me particularly sad that they are also one of the first to show how commerce may soon make the web another corporate "wasteground", where little guys are kept out of the market with "lawyer power", and anyone who disseminates information freely is stamped on. It's a short step from your patent lawsuit against a competitor to suing the W3C for publishing the cookie specs that 1-Click(TM :-) is based on. The intelligent people who are building the rest of the web around you - and who built many of the platforms on which your company depends - read a lot of books. Whilst you may have your sights set on selling trashy romances to every housewife in middle America, I believe that you can't afford to lose our support and our custom. I used to love Amazon - its a great, quick way to pick up the books I need, and I'm currently getting through 1 or 2 large, expensive technical tomes a week. I won't be spending any of that money with Amazon until they start playing fair, however. How many other customers are you losing?

Simon Batistoni

Boniface Young

Boudewijn Jong

Exactly !

Neil Marshall

Michael Sullivan

Bj÷rn Stenberg

joshua corning

Amazon has lost my business for as long as they continue with this futile, obstructionist ploy. That's quite a shame, as they do offer a convenient, useful service - but I for one am quite willing to go out of my way to give my business to a more responsible corporate Internet citizen.

Zac Stevens

Runo F°rrisdahl

I have already stopped buying from Amazon and exchanged e-mail with your company explaining why I have stopped ordering from you. From the time I stopped (in December) I have redirected more than 񘋰 of purchases that would have been made through you to other suppliers. I also convinced two friends holding your stock to sell it, not because of any potential profit or loss but because your actions were not ethical. If your company does not relent in its support of needless and wasteful patent-and-litigate tactics, your stock will have about as much appeal as that of a tobacco company -- perhaps profitable for a while but risky when a lawsuit finally goes against you. Now I shall start making sure my other investments do not hold your stock and start letting your associates know that if they carry product besides a link to you that I will be dropping them from any purchase considerations (after giving them a month to drop you.)

R. A. Burt

Neal Sidhwaney

Michael Bruun Petersen

Henrik Larsson

bookpool.com & fatbrain.com z.

Tinusz Nijmeijers

Good to see such involvment from O'Reilly.

Sven-Arne Reinemo

Boudewijn Jong

The only company that I had ever used to order books from was Amazon, until today.

Andy Tomlinson

Until this is resolved, I'll be buying my O'Reilly books from somewhere else. Neil Ford.

Neil Ford

Shame upon Amazon.com. I'll be going to FatBrain in future or, better still, my local bookstore.

Pete Cassidy

Greed will finally kill everything in sight. Let's hope we can kill greed before that happens.

Mathias Creutz

I am not going to order one more item from Amazon until they withdraw this ill-considered patent application. Simple as that.

Toby Poynder

I'm going to buy my books from Blackwell's or BOL in future; in the last year I must have spent over ú100 at Amazon. Count yourselves one customer down....

Robin Stephenson

I'll not buy from Amazon until they will change their attitude on the "one click" patent and I'll diffuse these information to all my friend

michele michelotto

I have been a loyal Amazon customer for as long as the company has existed... However, patenting something that isn't patentable is somewhat ridiculous... Time to shop elsewhere...

david r. perry

I used to do all my onlne book shopping with amazon.com and amazon.de - and lots of it. But this patent thing is just ridiculous and has just cost amazon another customer - there ARE other places to buy books online.

Joerg Michael

Jeff, This is my real email address, unSPAMprotected, to show you how serious I (and we) are about you rescinding your 2 most recent patent claims. I will spend no more money with your company until you do. Yours, MCT

Matthew C. Thompson

A clear abuse of the Patent process, and a mockery of our freedoms as Americans. As I did with Circuit City and Divx, Amazon no longer has my business (or all those I influence) until this abuse stops. End of story.

Jason Hurdlow

Since 1997, I have had the following statement on my personal homepage "Web Technology has a great future. A lot of what will be considered normal in the following five to ten years is already possible in experimental form. For these experimental systems to reach their full potential, a number of important choices have to be made. I like to make those choices." With patents like this to be granted, I am starting to fear the future...

Kees Leune

I agree entirely with this open letter, and Tim's earlier letter of January 5th. This strategy of patenting obvious inventions and aggressively pursuing them against competito