ENS Founder Challenges Unstoppable Domains Over Patent Dispute

The Patent Showdown: ENS vs. Unstoppable Domains

In a dramatic turn of events in the blockchain domain realm, Nick Johnson, the mastermind behind Ethereum Name Service (ENS), has thrown down the gauntlet against Unstoppable Domains. The catalyst? A shiny new patent that Johnson claims is nothing but a lifted blueprint from ENS’s toolkit.

Patent Drama Unfolds

Earlier this year, Unstoppable Domains strutted away with patent US11558344, boasting of innovations purportedly spawned by Braden River Pezeshki, Matthew Gould, and Bogdan Gusiev. But as Johnson sees it, this patent isn’t about new inventions; it’s about taking ENS’s existing playbook. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he seems to say, all while drafting an open letter on X (formerly Twitter) that’s more than just a gentle nudge.

ENS’s Open-Source Ethos

As per ENS’s playbook, their technology is open-source; anyone can peek behind the curtain and use what they find. Johnson emphatically laid out that ENS aims to connect human-readable names like ‘alice.eth’ to the cold, lifeless IP addresses of the digital world. In his eyes, Unstoppable Domains’ patent ride is like trying to patent the wheel after seeing someone else roll it out.

Unstoppable’s Counterattack

Not to be outdone, Matthew Gould from Unstoppable Domains responded with an invitation that set social media abuzz. “Join our Web3 Domain Alliance!” he declared, positioning the alliance as a collaborative space for diverse naming systems. But Johnson isn’t buying the invitation; he views it as a clever strategy to monopolize his competition.

The Crypto Community Weighs In

The cryptocurrency enthusiasts, those digital warriors of the blockchain, rallied behind Johnson. Bob Summerwill, the executive director of the Ethereum Classic Cooperative, raised an eyebrow at the idea of “joining the club” merely for patent protection. He noted that this move potentially undermines the essence of open-source culture, suggesting that such an approach would drive innovation into a gated community.

Defense or Offense? Unstoppable Domains Responds

In a statement aimed at hitting back, Gould defended Unstoppable’s maneuvering, suggesting that their patent submissions are merely shields against the Big Bad Wolves of Web2. “We’ve built technology and we’re protecting it, not at someone else’s expense,” he argued. What followed was a robust assertion that Unstoppable’s roots run deeper into unique functionalities specific to their blockchain domain system.

The Road Ahead: A Legal Storm Brewing?

Johnson is prepared to throw down in the legal ring if Unstoppable Domains doesn’t retract the patent. His stance is akin to a knight defending the kingdom’s honor, claiming that ENS has documentation to back its defense. A future court battle looms, one that could set precedents for the blockchain domain landscape.