Democrasoft

Democrasoft, Inc. is a public company that used to operate under the name Burst.com and until 2010 specialized in revenue generation via patent licensing in the area of "faster-than-real-time" video and audio delivery over the Internet. It changed its business model in March 2010, in conjunction with its name change to Democrasoft. It is located in Santa Rosa, California.

Products

In March 2010 the company changed its name and ticker symbol due to a new corporate focus of an online product named "Collaborize".^[1][2] Collaborize is an online decision making application that helps businesses, government officials, associations, educators and non-profits identify, refine and respond to important questions and ideas.

Collaborize Classroom, a free online learning platform is Democrasoft's flagship product. The web-based educational technology allows teachers to extend their classroom discussions to a structured and private online community. Students can expand on discussions as well as interact with online lesson plans that allow for deeper participation inside and outside the classroom. As of December 2013, Collaborize Classroom had 48,000 customers with 350,000 users.^[3]

In August, 2010 the Collaborize Classroom Topic Library was introduced as a free online community where teachers can download, share and archive the lessons that are most effectively engaging students today. Here you can find thousands of peer-reviewed topic-based lessons shared by teachers from all around the world.

In August, 2012 Democrasoft released a new product, based on the original concept of Collaborize called the WeJit. The WeJit is a collaborative tool that allows anyone to give birth to an instant, engaged community around any topic and embed it anywhere.

Patent litigation history

In March 2005 the company, then named Burst.com, received $60 million as settlement in its suit against Microsoft over unauthorized use of its streaming media technology.^[4][5]

In January 2006, Apple Computer filed an action for a Declaratory Judgement seeking to have Burst's patents declared invalid. In April 2006, Burst.com counterclaimed against Apple Computer with regard to Apple's potential infringement of Burst.com's patents on streaming video and time-shifting of video. A "Markman" Claim Construction Memorandum and Order favorable to Burst was issued May 8, 2007.^[6] In early November, the court invalidated 14 of Burst's claims, leaving 22 remaining.^[7] On November 21, 2007, Apple Computer announced that it had called a truce in the legal feud between itself and Burst.com by agreeing to pay a $10 million lump sum in exchange for protection from current and future lawsuits.^[8]

RealNetworks sued Burst.com on January 3, 2008. The case was settled in May 2008 with RealNetworks agreeing to pay Burst a one-time payment of $533,500.00 cash in exchange for a license to a subset of the Burst patents.^[9]

References

1. ↑ Burst.com Launches New Web-Based Software Platform, Company press release, March 22, 2010
2. ↑ Democrasoft's Flagship Product, Collaborize Launches at DEMO Spring 2010, Comdex press release, March 22, 2010
3. ↑ http://www.capterra.com/infographics/top-lms-software
4. ↑ Underdog Or Patent Troll?, BusinessWeek, April 24, 2006
5. ↑ Microsoft's media monopoly, Salon.com, Oct. 2, 2002
6. ↑ Claim Construction Ruling
7. ↑ Apple Pops Some of Burst's Patent Claims, The Recorder (via law.com), Nov. 12, 2007
8. ↑ Apple settles Burst.com patent suit for $10 million, AppleInsider, Nov. 27, 2007
9. ↑ Burst.com and RealNetworks Reach Settlement Agreement, Burst.com PR, May 8, 2008

External links

• Democrasoft corporate website
• CollaborizeClassroom.com
• Collaborize Classroom Named One of Best Free Social Media Tools for Teachers
• Collaborize Classroom Blog