The Ethereum Name Service (ENS) has officially contested a patent granted to Unstoppable Domains (UD) in January 2023, sparking differing opinions within the crypto community. ENS submitted a petition to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on May 2, aiming to protect the collaborative nature of the internet. ENS argues that UD has patented technology that they originally developed, calling it theft and vowing to fight to keep ENS accessible to all. They believe that the UD patent threatens their core vision of a free and unrestricted web.
Some members of the crypto community support ENS in challenging UD’s patent, while others oppose the move. Adam Cochran from Cinneamhain Ventures believes that the UD patent is invalid and that blockchain names, developed by ENS, should remain a public good and open intellectual property. Advocates for decentralized finance (DeFi) at the DeFi Education Fund also express their support for ENS, aligning with their advocacy for open-source protocols.
However, some community members argue against ENS, claiming that the organization is attacking UD out of desperation. They accuse ENS of discouraging others from working with UD and burdening investors with high fees. Another member suggests that ENS is attempting to gaslight, asserting that patents are not granted without proper review and due process. They urge ENS to take their petition to court rather than engaging in public disputes.
In response to ENS, Matthew Gould, the founder of Unstoppable Domains, explains that ENS was cited in their patent alongside other blockchain domain systems. He maintains that the patent underwent a thorough review process and is indeed valid.
ENS founder Nick Johnson challenges Gould’s statement, asking him to identify any key innovations in the patent that were not already part of ENS. However, Gould does not provide further responses to Johnson and ENS.
In conclusion, the crypto community is divided in its opinions on the challenge to UD’s patent by ENS. The outcome of this dispute will have implications for the future of decentralized web services.