Google, Apple, Microsoft Sued Over File Preview 250
ClaraBow writes with this excerpt from MacWorld:
"A small Indiana company has sued tech heavyweights Microsoft, Apple, and Google, claiming that it holds the patent on a common file preview feature used by browsers and operating systems to show users small snapshots of the files before they are opened. ... Cygnus's owner and president Gregory Swartz developed the technology laid out in the patent while working on IT consulting projects, McAndrews said. The company is looking for 'a reasonable royalty' as well as a court injunction preventing further infringement, he said. ... Cygnus applied for its patent (#7346850) in 2001. It covers a 'System and method for iconic software environment management' and was granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office in March of this year."
Wonderful (Score:5, Funny)
claiming that it holds the patent on a common file preview feature used by browsers and operating systems to show users small snapshots of the files before they are opened
The page [patentstorm.us] for this patent at patentstorm.com shows users a small snapshot of the patent before it is opened.
Re:Two words: (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Two words: (Score:5, Funny)
Weight of money does not necessarily add credance to a particular viewpoint.
What they are patenting is now considered obvious, perhaps not at the time, but given that it was only granted recently (ie after several independant parties had made this discovery, thus making it "obvious" in its field) its hard not to see this as just another patent troll.
patent troll patent (Score:5, Funny)
doesn't this infringe on the patent troll patent?
Re:Wonderful (Score:3, Funny)
I worry about sites that have a 'preview' option before posting content, they must be next ...
We should all agree not to preview for the time being, lest sourceforge get sued.
Re:Economy is in deep shit, this is a symptom (Score:5, Funny)
In fact various stores and also porn sites would be great at showing prior art to this BS patent.
Yes I can confirm from personal experience that porn sites in the mid 1990's used thumbnails.
I wonder if.... (Score:3, Funny)
I got dibs on malloc and free! (Score:5, Funny)
Who needs it? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Perfect time to know what Obama's take (Score:4, Funny)
Um, I think you're the only one that sees anything homo-erotic in the OP's post. I wonder what that could signify? (not that there's anything wrong with it)
Re:Economy is in deep shit, this is a symptom (Score:3, Funny)
Yes I can confirm from personal experience that porn sites in the mid 1990's used thumbnails.
Sorry, this patent is for right-handed previews only.
Re:So once the big guys are down... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Two words: (Score:2, Funny)
To me, this sounds like you have NO FUCKING CLUE how to read a patent. READ THE FUCKING CLAIMS. The claims define the metes and bounds.
It's like you picked up your god damned DEED on your HOUSE and saw that it said "This property is located in Colorado" and thought to yourself "HOLY SHIT! I JUST BOUGHT THE ENTIRE FUCKING STATE OF COLORADO!"
No, numbnuts. NO. Just NO.
Why is Slashdot so full of fucking idiots?