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BT's Hyperlinking Patent Refuted 100
parvati writes "According to a newscientist.com story a 1968 Stanford University film demonstrating the use of the first mouse may be used to refute BT's claim of a 1976 patent on hyperlinks. In the film the mouse is used to click on hyperlinks." I've got a patent pending on swallowing, oxidation, and chewing gum.
linkage (Score:2)
Project Xanadu (Score:2)
Same thing will happen to Amazon, RMBS (Score:1)
Re:PATENT SHMATENT (Score:1)
INTERACTIVE [mikegallay.com]
No, you are confused. (Score:1)
Or is that a license?
Re:this is a bug right? (Score:1)
his is the exact sam story that was up a few days ago...got to be some kinda bug right?...maybe soemthing to do with being hacked, and having to back up to an old version of the system?
No, they just restarted the Matrix.
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U.S. Patent #foo (Score:1)
Re:Slashdot's ecologically sound! (Score:1)
Re:PATENT SHMATENT (Score:1)
INTERACTIVE [mikegallay.com]
Re:Project Xanadu (Score:2)
Sorry Taco, (Score:1)
http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:www.geocitie
Yep (Score:2)
Re:Soooo... (Score:1)
Re:Patent for Text (Score:2)
Free public debate [harvard.edu] between Jack Valenti and Lawrence Lessig: tonight at 7pm.
If you're in the Boston area, you can attend in person, or catch the webcast with realplayer.
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It's a simple explanation. (Score:1)
Well, since you ask, I'll explain it (Ask Jeeves in on vacation and I'm filling in for him). It all has to do with an add-in to Perl. It's called TemporalMechanics. It allows one to go backwards and forward in time. The exact syntax is:
temporalmechanics(direction, timeline)
As you can see, it allows for multiple timelines. Version 1.3 of the function will allow for parallel universes, but it's still in the debugging phase. Version 2.0 will send a memetic polyalloy self-replicating perl script to destroy any of Jon Katz mother's contributions to slashdot. The word is James Cameron is talking about version 3.0
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Re:More than a little concerned (Score:1)
You want better stories? Submit better stories. Probably 3/4 of ALL STORY SUBMISSIONS are duplicates of something we just posted - we post it, some other site posts it, people come back here and resubmit it as news. Boy, everybody and their brother can find old stories - even years ago - if they're posted, but NOBODY checks when they're submitting a story.
The site was just hacked into. What, you think Taco is spending his frigging weekend cruising around town in a Ferrari? No, he's doing an intensive course called "fun with MySQL" and "rebuilding boxen for fun and profit" and "figuring out how to explain to management what happened and why it won't happen again".
Sheesh. What an ingrate. Go crawl back under whatever rock you came from.
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Michael Sims-michael at slashdot.org
Well the patent I want most ;-) (Score:1)
Re:No, you are confused. (Score:1)
Re:User interface technology (Score:1)
Re:No, you are confused. (Score:1)
Now could someone please sue them...? (Score:1)
Re:A little concerned (Score:1)
Re:Let me get this out of the way... (Score:1)
You forgot:
See the machines that the demo is running on? Imagine a Beowulf cluster of *those*!
Alex
I'm patenting Sex (Score:1)
Re:OT: What's with the July 7th bit? (Score:1)
Has anyone heard of such a virus or trojan? I'm on Win2k, but there was nothing so "secure" that a Linux trojan couldn't do the same to Netscape.
Anm
Protesting against patents (Score:3)
Admittedly I've just started this site, but the first petition I've set up is against software patents.
Go to http://freepetitions.com/cgi- bin
thenerd.
Really Old (Score:1)
Re:More than a little concerned (Score:2)
Hooboy: this makes a lot of sense. Insult the people who do the talking and supply the good technical content on your site. Proofread your damm stories, check your facts, and remember this simple rule of capitalism: the customer is always right. You piss me off. You don't want to be known as a slashdot editor who pisses off customers, I can tell you that right now.
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Re:Repeat post? (Score:1)
"Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. Those who cannot remember previous articles are doomed to repeat them."
George SlashdotayanaREALLY not new (Score:3)
Asimov would often work in uses of hyperlinking in his stories; he was a big fan of it, and thought that if you had a machine that could track your eye movements, then if you stared at a word longer than necessary, it could make references pop up in the margins, and explain the subject. And that was a long time ago, and Asimov is dead now.
The only thing new about hyperlinking was the idea that you could somehow automate this process, but that's not new; people always want to automate things. I'm sure people have said for as long as books have been around in their current form: gee, it'd be nice if I already had this information I wanted on the page in front of me...
Yet another obvious implementation of a real world phenomenon that's unique now because it's on the net.
In the future, this will be abbreviated YAOIOARWPTUNBIOTN.
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pb Reply or e-mail; don't vaguely moderate [ncsu.edu].
Take a Vacation ... (Score:3)
Apparently, you are the only one posting to the site this weekend. Take some time off. A week would do you good.
And when you get back consider instituting some kind of Quality Assurance program for the site. It's really getting sad to see all the redundant posts ... and the legitimate ones are OLD news once they get posted.
Re:Um, I Was Just Wondering... (Score:2)
This has already been pointed out.
In fact, there's a (+3, Funny) post making fun of this phenomena.
The only thing worse than redundant articles on slashdot are redundant posts about redundant articles on slashdot.
Please don't contribute to this frightening growing trend; come troll with the rest of us where it's safe and warm, and we make fun of slashdot for other, more wholesome reasons.
lol (Score:1)
Re:PATENT SHMATENT (Score:1)
Re:PATENT SHMATENT (Score:1)
INTERACTIVE [mikegallay.com]
Patent on annoying stories (Score:2)
Re:Was the patent refuted?? (Score:1)
Too bad for you, GNU (Score:2)
Re:Protesting against patents (Score:5)
How ironic that your petiton site is sponsored by amazon.com, one of the biggest stupid patent holders we discuss on Slashdot!
What are you thinking?
---There is no spoon....---
Re:Protesting against patents (Score:1)
I find it very, very funny that when I clicked your link, I was presented with a page and a banner ad. The banner ad was Amazon's.
Get real.
patent on stupidity (Score:1)
This whole patenting things that have been in use for years is incredible, like the first caveman (should there have been such a thing) that decicded the wheel was a good idea could have some distant relative that cashes in on it now, preposterous. I say what's done is done, if it was your idea and you couldn't at least act on it in a reasonable ammout of time tough crunchies.
does anyone hold a patent on patenting?
Re:A little concerned (Score:1)
It's becoming reslashdot.org
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Re:Repeat post? (Score:1)
a few weeks ago!!! Ummm.... I believe we have a problem here.... Come on
On the subject of the Airboard post yesterday... I'm sure everyone knows that
Regardless, We want some new news this week! br
Slashdot's ecologically sound! (Score:2)
Look at the amount of recycling it's doing; that's gotta be good for the nature, right?
Repeat post? (Score:1)
Here's the poop on the patent . . . (Score:2)
This is no great mystery about this, and the remarks about a 1986 filing date are incorrect. The answer can be found on the face of the patent, or by checking ANY of the free on-line databases on the net.
U.S. Patent No. 4,873,662 issued on October 10, 1989. Under the applicable law at that time, the patent would be entitled to a 17-year term, which would end on October 10, 2006. (A few years back, the patent terms were changed to twenty years from date of filing, rather than seventeen years from the date of issue. However, the then-existing patents were grandfathered to the longer of the two possible terms).
The effective filing date of the patent, however, is not 1986, but to the contrary 7/12/1977. Accordingly, the critical date for invalidating prior art would be 7/12/1976. (Although a 1968 film, if it were in fact published about that time, or demonstrated legitimate, non-experimental, public use, sale or offer for sale of the invention, could beat that handily).
While the particular application that matured into the '662 patent was filed on August 15, 1980, that application was a continuation of an earlier application, Ser. No. 814,922, which was filed on the earlier date. The effective filing date of a continuation, if properly filed, is the date of the parent application -- even if the previous application was later abandoned.
Re:Repeat post? (Score:2)
mad patent skillz (Score:2)
Sorry, it's not enough to simply say "I hereby patent this". You have to actually file for a patent with the patent office, a process which costs money.
If I had the money, I would file for a patent on patents. With the current state of the patent office they would probably grant the patent, as long as the language used in the application was sufficiently technical and obscure.
Force all these patent fiends to buy licences from me. That would be cool. By denying licences to those patents I didn't like I could become a really powerful dictator. All the suits would ph33r me. I could make them beg and kneel and worship and send me gifts of computer hardware and women and stuff. Heh. That would be cool.
Did I mention how cool that would be? Someone send me money to file, 'cuz it would be cool.
Register ran this story (Score:1)
Duplicate Posts (Score:1)
How about, before a story can be posted, it's title is pushed through slashdot's search page. Maybe this will make people notice that some stories share more than a passing similarity.
Was the patent refuted?? (Score:1)
Bit of a sensationalist headline don't you think??
Please, read your own weblog (Score:1)
A little concerned (Score:5)
Has slashdot grown so large that there are perhaps too many people with the ability to post stories? Or does it need someone "at the top" to make sure duplicates like this don't get through? Is slashdot so big that it just can't be managed by anybody? I hope not, but I'm really curious; what's breaking down so much that this keeps happening?
Maybe we can have some constructive discussion instead of the regular round of "slashdot's gone downhill" talk. To CmdrTaco and the rest: We know you're all busy. But can you work this out?
-schussat
Re:CEASE AND DESIST ORDER: (Score:2)
I'd suggest adding the proviso that you take these inane, everyday things and put "cyber-" "hyperlinked" or "web-based" in front of every third or fourth word. History suggest that then the idea is guaranteed to be genuinely novel and patentworthy even if it were banal to begin with. (E.g., "One-click shopping (tm)" which is little more than a "cyber-vending machine").
Patent your business model and also patent the process of copying or adapting the patented business model of another business. This should give you plenty of legal protection and meta-protection from your competitors. Your VCs will marvel at your acumen.
And so ad infinitum (Score:1)
I have a patent on "Claiming to Have One or More Ridiculous Patents In Order to Make an Ironic or Satirical Point."
So watch it.
OT: What's with the July 7th bit? (Score:1)
Anm
Re:A little concerned (Score:1)
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CmdrTaco is Violating My Patent! (Score:2)
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Irony (Score:1)
What strikes me as doubly ironic is the fact that Slashdot, a forum well known for its criticism of lousy patent clerks who can't find prior art if their life depended on it, just posted a story which ran a few days ago on the very same site! Not even the USPTO grants patents twice!
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Re:A little concerned (Score:2)
I'm sure there are many reliable volenteers arround to make sure duplicate stories arent posted.
It's such a contrast when some posts have "as mentioned 5 months ago (click here)" and others are still on the main page yet dont even acknowledge the existence of the first post!
More than a little concerned (Score:1)
You put it so nicely. Let me put it more bluntly: Rob Maldo, your success has gone to your head. Yes, we still like come to your party, but don't count on that forever. Your lack of attention to detail is embarrassing. It embarrasses me. Get your act together.
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OSDN THIS! (Score:1)
I have a patent on the copyright of the acronym OSDN - The open source dipshittery network, which you seem to be affiliated with through linux VA. You are hereby required to pay me $800 Billion dollars, a rocket car and a golden house if you or linux VA wish to have any more affiliation with them.
Sincerely,
Hugh Jass.
Kris
botboy60@hotmail.com
Nerdnetwork.net [nerdnetwork.net]
Re:Repeat post? (Score:2)
-M
___________________________
Re:this is a bug right? (Score:1)
Re:CEASE AND DESIST ORDER: (Score:1)
Oh yeah? Well... (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Re:A little concerned (Score:1)
Re:Protesting against patents (Score:1)
Hey! (Score:4)
Enough with the stupid patents (Score:1)
Enough with the patenting of obvious things either ripped off from physical objects (dictionaries,) or conveniences that are now commonplace. BT has the same force holding their patent to themselves that Amazon has to "One-Click" shopping, and Adobe to tabbed dialog boxes: none. Screw these big companies trying to control what is now a pop-culture phenomenon and let's just write good software, keep phone services working, and sell more books.
Tell me what makes you so afraid
Of all those people you say you hate
Re:Patent on annoying stories (Score:1)
CEASE AND DESIST ORDER: (Score:1)
Dear Mr. Malda,
Please be advised that your use of 'oxidation' is in direct infringement of our client, British Telecom, and their IP. This 'oxidation' infringes on patent number 623326 for our product 'Rust'. Please ceast and desist all actions involving your product 'oxidation.'
Furthermore, we also would like to request that any references to 'masturbation' be taken off of this and any other web sites, as that is the intellectual property of British Telecom.
You have 7 days to comply with this letter.
Thank you.
I want to start a company whose sole business plan is to find the inane, everyday occurances that haven't been patented yet, (for example, masturbation) and just attack all people/companies that use them. My patent is already pending for "Selective use of action-describing words in making sales. (or, using verbs)"
Re:More than a little concerned (Score:1)
Wow. "How not to respond to someone with a complaint."
The fact that you know people submit duplicate stories sure isn't an excuse for posting them again. Isn't that why sites have editors?
A whole lot of people have a lot of time and effort put into slashdot -- and it's not just all of you who run the site. There's a lot of discussion going on here by a lot of people who care about what slashdot is all about. I wouldn't have said that it's embarassing to see duplicate stories, but all the same, what are we all supposed to think when we see it happening more and more? One thing, that I don't particularly like to think, is that people don't care enough to know their own site anymore. Now, I'm pretty sure that's not the case. I have lots of faith that Taco and the rest of you really thrive on what goes on at slashdot. So we all want this place to be quality.
You were in a position to say, "Hey guys, the load gets heavy and what with slashdot getting hacked and all, it's hard to keep our eyes uncrossed, let alone monitor the stories. We're working on it." Instead, you insulted this whole thread, when my intent was just to express that we think this place is cool we and hate to see it less than stellar. So much for reasonable discussion.
-schussat
Movie link (Score:2)
Patent's pending (Score:1)
I've got patents pending on Sex, breathing, eating, going to the bathroom, and growing toe nails. I'm currently litigating sin with Satan, and grace with God. We don't expect to win with sin, but the grace thing we think we gotta chance.
Laugh, it's funny.
Patents on oxidation? (Score:1)
Re:CEASE AND DESIST ORDER: (Score:5)
Well, your patent number (623326) infringes on my patent (123321) on having patent numbers that are palindromes.
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Re:Repeat post? (Score:2)
I think they're getting old... I mean, c'mon, how can you expect anyone over twenty-five to stay sharp? Why do you think there are so many script-kiddies, but no script-adulties, huh?
PATENT SHMATENT (Score:1)
i hate to be redundant in a comment regarding redundancy but here goes. rob, you've gotta institute some other function to monitor duplicated article postings. (perhaps you should patent protect old articles?) also, there should be a better selection process so the gaps between stories make more sense (ie. sometimes there is a flurry of activity from editorial, and at other times it seems like no one's upstairs at all!).
INTERACTIVE [mikegallay.com]
Re:Was the patent refuted?? (Score:1)
Re:PATENT SHMATENT (Score:1)
INTERACTIVE [mikegallay.com]
ad revenue dropping? (Score:1)
Re:CEASE AND DESIST ORDER: (Score:1)
Sounds promising so far.
Re:PATENT SHMATENT (Score:1)
Re:A little concerned (Score:1)
Why? (Score:2)
If that is the case...Amazon's patented one click technology will actually be worth something...
Seen this already (Score:1)
User interface technology (Score:1)
Re:Hey! (Score:1)
(Good thing there's no patent on posting stupid jokes, otherwise I'd be broke by now)
Re:Protesting against patents (Score:1)
Duly chastened.
thenerd.
concepts in the public domain (Score:1)
A well known example is the science fiction author Robert A Heinlein's description of a water bed in one of his books. Soon afterwards a company put a patent out on water beds. The patent was challenged and later invalidated because the description and design of a water bed (contained within RAH's book) was available to the public domain therefore not the intelectual property of anyone.
Proof of concept available to the public is all that is required AFAIK.
Re:More than a little concerned (Score:2)
We (I) do - but they get rejected since they sometimes are about _competitors_ to Palm/Linux doing cool things. Which is, of course, forbidden here at Slashdot.
video != prior art (Score:1)
The rationale is that the patent system exists to support the dissemination of ideas. If people are protected from patent claims merely because they did something first, the incentive for people to publish their ideas would be greatly diminished. With patents, so the legal thinking goes, it may take 21 years for it to become public domain but at least it will.
The lesson is: if you do something, even for an open source project, document it in writing and disclose it in proper form. You can disclose directly to the patent office without filing a patent.
Re:Project Xanadu (Score:1)
Actually (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Banner ad stupidity (Score:1)
I can see how that must have seemed like a lot of things - hypocrisy, stupidity, short-sightedness, idiocy, etc.
I've pulled the Amazon banner (at least graphic due to system nightmares) - thanks for telling me what I'd done - I would have probably never realised.
Please sign it.
Re:Slashdot staff should read slashdot (Score:1)
When I worked for a daily college paper as an editor (ok it was photos...) but I had to read the paper everyday (or a least look at the photos) and I instructed my staff to do so as well. It was part of the job.
I'd also mark-up a copy (constructive criticism) from time to time, so newer staff could see what worked and what didn't.
Slashdot being dynamic is harder to do this with, but reading it once and a while would seem a good idea.
Soooo... (Score:2)
Oh wait...