Ayyadurai v. Floor64, Inc. et al

Filing 1

COMPLAINT against All Defendants Filing fee: $ 400, receipt number 0101-6439091 (Fee Status: Filing Fee paid), filed by Shiva Ayyadurai. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Exhibit, # 3 Exhibit, # 4 Exhibit, # 5 Exhibit, # 6 Exhibit, # 7 Exhibit, # 8 Exhibit, # 9 Exhibit, # 10 Exhibit, # 11 Exhibit, # 12 Exhibit, # 13 Exhibit, # 14 Exhibit, # 15 Exhibit, # 16 Exhibit, # 17 Exhibit, # 18 Exhibit, # 19 Exhibit, # 20 Exhibit, # 21 Exhibit)(Cornell, Timothy)

EXHIBIT R

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Here's The Truth: Sliiva Ayyadurai Didn't Invent Email

: : IFISIDER SHOP

from the let's- try- this-again dept
So, yesterday we wrote about how Ntick Denton had settled all the remaining Legal disputes that
Gawker had involving three lawsuits filed by lawyer Charles Harder, Most of the attention was paid

to the big one -- the settlement with Hulk Hogain. We, however, focused on one of the other cases,
Email
by Mike Mas nick
Thu, Nov 3rd 2016
1:11pm

Filed Under:

censorship, Charles
harder,
defamation, email,
hulk hogan,
inventor of email,
peter thiel, shiva
ayyadurai, truth
Companies:
gawker

Permalink.
Short link.

Lt

since it was one that we followed closely and which showed how Peter Thiel was full of shit in

claiming he only bankrolled these anti-Gawker lawsuits to "protect privacy" (and, yes, it's hilarious
to see the early backer of both Facebook and Falantir pretending to care about privacy).

i

X

The case of Shiva Ayyadurai is the really telling one. For almost five years now, we've been among
those explaining why Shiva Ayyadurai's claim that he invented email is complete bullshit. It's not

in

A.

If

*2.49

true. Not even remotely. What does appear to be true is that as a fairly bright kid, Ayyadurai was

WITH CARD

working for a small college in New Jersey and he wrote an electronic messaging program for the

Private Selection Salsa or
Mission Burrito Tortillas

school, which he named Email. It was not the first. It was not the last, 1 1 was nothing special.

m

Nothing about what Ayyadurrai did was new -- even if he came up with the ideas entirely on his
own, Basically every feature that he put in the application was previously discussed on open
mailing lists and RFCs about the internet and the messaging systems that would be grafted onto it

j&tphS) FLow prints BifBW
Vaid until Dae. 13

— sometimes many years earlier, Ayyadurai tries to rely on the fact that he got a copyright for his
fleport this ad

program as proof, hoping to confuse people who don't understand the difference between a
copyright and a patent, As we've noted in the past: Microsoft has a copyright on the "Windows"

|

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Essential Reading

operating system, That doesn't mean it invented windows-based graphical user interfaces (because
Hot Topics

it did not).

Apparently part of the settlement involved Ayyadurai getting $750,000 along with the

5.5

The FCC Suggests Some Wis by Washy,
Highly Unlikely Solutions To The

agreement to take down the article [it's not entirely clear to me if the article was still up, since

Poorly-Secured Internet Of Things

Univision had already taken it down). As plenty of people quickly noted on Twitter this was
insane. Ayyadurai has spent many years falsely claiming to have invented email and trying to

5.2 1 Judge Tosses Charges Against
Backpage Execs, Tells Kamala Harris

tarnish the obituaries of Ray Tomlinson who was critical in the creation of email [though was

To Take It Up With Congress

humble enough to admit that no one individual actually "invented" email). And now he was getting
paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for suing a news site that correctly explained the actual

5.2

truth: Shiva Ayyadurai did not invent email. I'm sure a good chunk of that money is going to

Georgia Secretary Of State Accuses
DHS Of Breaching his Office's Firewall

Charles Harder. Who knows if any of it makes its way back to Peter Thiel, who recently explained

that he had to help Hulk Hogan because mere "single digit millionaires" couldn't fight back.

New To Techdirt?
Explore some core concepts:

In response to this, Ayyadurai has put out a self-congratulatory press release claiming that the
An Economic Explanation For Why DRM

settlement supports his blatantly false claims:

Cannot Open Up New Business Model

Certain of the settlement terms are incorporated within Gawker Media's latest

Opportunities

proposed plan of liquidation, filed today, and include a proposed settlement payment

to Dr. Ayyadurai and removal of the article at issue. More details will be
forthcoming. Dr. Ayyadurai stated : "History will reflect that this settlement is a
victory for truth."

Saying You Cant Compete With Free Is
Saying You Cant Compete Period
Step One To Embracing A Lack Of Scarcity:
Recognize What Market You're Really In

No, it's not. It's a victory for bullshit. It's a victory for trying to rev/rite history and smear the
read all »

actual truth. And it was aided by Peter Thiel, I do wonder, though, if Ayyadurai continues to sue
publications that properly point out that he is not telling the truth, and targets us, if Thiel will

Techdirt Deals

come to our aid. Hell, I'm not even a single-digit millionaire. So, clearly, he's going to help us out,

right?

Let's discuss some truth: Ayyadurai did not invent email. Ayyadurai also filed a highly
questionable lawsuit over a news story correctly claiming he did not invent email, Ayyadurai's case
was only settled because Nick Denton and what remains of Gawker recognized that it was easier to
move on with things and end these cases. For Peter Thiel to champion this and for Ayyadurai to
claim that his Little spat -- which got caught up in the whirlwind of a billionaire's personal grudge

V,

V f hi

- is a "victory for truth" is complete bullshit. That's the truth.

77 fnmmpnh I I pave a Tnmmpnt

I'vl I* EB Wi Irfil FN

Document title: Here's The Truth: Shiva Ayyadurai Didn't Invent Email || Techdirt
Document title: Here's The Truth: Shiva Ayyadurai Didn't Invent Email Techdirt
Capture URL: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20161103/11502935958/heres-truth-shiva-ayyadurai-didnt-invent-email.shtml
Capture URL: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20161103/11502935958/heres-truth-shiva-ayyadurai-didnt-invent-email.shtml
Capture timestamp (UTC): Mon, 12 Dec 2016 21:58:03 GMT
Capture timestamp (UTC): Mon, 12 Dec 2016 21:58:03 GMT

Page

of 15

right?

Let's discuss some truth: Ayyadurai did not invent email. Ayyadurai also filed a highly
questionable lawsuit over a news story rarrectfy claiming he did not invent email. Ayyadurai s case

was only settled because Mick Denton and what remains of Gawker recognized that it was easier to

V,

move on with things and end these cases. For Peter Thiel to champion this and for Ayyadurai to

v r m

f.

claim that his little spat -- which got caught up in the whirlwind of a billionaire's personal grudge
-- is a "victory for truth" is complete bullshit. That's the truth.

Ed \*\ E9 K3 il IS

72 Comments | Leave a Comment

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httpV/m .th e rB g i ste r. co . uk/2 0 1 6^1 2/0
n te r_i s_c<
time forthe touches and pitchforks, I think.

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Dark Helmet: Touches and pitchforks is my

•

Iran The Latest Country To Use 'Fake News' As An Excuse For Widespread Censorship

new favorite typo win

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Media Organizations (Correctly) Worry That Rolling Stone Verdict Will Make Saying Sorry Actionable

Jeffrey Nonken: hah.

•

FESO Issues Takedown For Artwork Made By Autistic Teenager Because Bullies Gonna Bully Y'all

Well, mobile interface. That's my excuse.
Vidiot: WaPo article on copyright fight gets it

•

Actual Creators Of Email Not At ALl Happy The Fake Creator Of Email Got Paid For FisBogusClaim

•

Ridiculous: Nick Denton Settles Remaining Charles Harder Lawsuits, Agrees To Delete Perfectly True Stories

wrong, of course... ASCAP and MPAA seen as
the Office's only constituents. How about us
citizens instead?
https Jfwww.was hin gto n p o st. co m/n ews/a rts-

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Reader Comments

66

¦

You forgot to mention that Shiva Ayyadurai did not invent email.
Anonymous Coward

99
View by: Time | Thread

ArtonymoLis Coward, 3 Nov 2016

5 Must-See

Subscribe: RSS

1:21pm

Ayyadurai Is a dipshit who loves to kick puppies and babies.
[ reply to this I link to this I view in chronology ]

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Anonymous Cowa rd , 3 No v 201 6 & 1: 26pm

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Document title: Here&#39;s The Truth: Shiva Ayyadurai Didn&#39;t Invent Email || Techdirt
Document title: Here&#39;s The Truth: Shiva Ayyadurai Didn&#39;t Invent Email Techdirt
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SGBMicroSD Card (1)

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