Re: Company claims patent for download apps

Richard, do you have a Patent # reference to this?

We had a successful Subscription based AutoUpdate system since 1996 called
AUP in place that works over the Internet and Dialup!

In regards to Microsoft "To-Do-list from source code Patent."

I've been designing code over 25+ years with this logic.  Lots of people do.
Its par for the course. Does this mean I can no longer add comment lines my
in source code?

        // FUTURE ITEM
        // FIXME
        // POTENTIAL BUG
        // TO BE FIXED

and can no long use grep or word searcher to list my "items" list?

Silly, just plain old silly!

The US PTO really needs to begin to help smaller companies not get overrun
with larger/newer companies patenting old technologies as new.  It is really
getting stupid!

-- 
Hector Santos, Santronics Software, Inc.
http://www.santronics.com




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard M. Smith" <rms@computerbytesman.com>
To: "W3C Public Web Plugins List" <public-web-plugins@w3.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2004 12:15 PM
Subject: Company claims patent for download apps


>
http://news.com.com/Company+claims+patent+for+download+apps/2100-1014_3-5233
> 815.html?tag=nefd.top
>
> Company claims patent for download apps
>
> Last modified: June 15, 2004, 4:49 AM PDT
> By Graeme  <mailto:graeme.wearden@cnet.com?subject=FEEDBACK:Company claims
> patent for download apps> Wearden
> Special to CNET News.com
>
>    <http://news.com.com/2102-1014_3-5233815.html?tag=st.util.print>
> <http://news.com.com/2113-1014_3-5233815.html?tag=st.util.email>
>
<http://news.com.com/Company+claims+patent+for+download+apps/2100-1014_3-523
> 3815.html?tag=nefd.top#yourtake>      <javascript:void(0)>
>
> A U.K. company claims to own a number of patents that relate to the
process
> of downloading software and virus-protection updates over the Internet.
>
>
> British Technology Group, or BTG, said Monday that it is in discussions
with
> several companies, reportedly including Microsoft, in the hope of getting
> them to pay royalties.
>
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>
> "We have various patents that cover various ways of downloading software
> updates over the Web, including virus fixes and product enhancements.
These
> cover products that are in widespread use today," a BTG representative
said.
>
>
> BTG is seeking both downpayments and future royalties from a "number of
> companies" that it claims have already produced products that infringe its
> patents. However, the company has not yet divulged details of the patents
in
> question.
>
> BTG, which represents inventors and patent owners who want to protect and
> enforce their patents, won't reveal which companies it is in negotiations
> with. Its patents may cover some of the free virus update services that
are
> available, which could become difficult to operate if royalties must be
paid
> to BTG.
>
> The company, though, played down the suggestion that computer users could
be
> at risk because of its actions.
>
> "I can't think of any time that BTG has brought an injunction to take a
> product that is on the market off the market," said the company
> representative.
>
> According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, Microsoft is one of the
> companies being pursued by BTG.
>
> A Microsoft representative, though, wasn't immediately able to comment on
> the issue.
>
> Microsoft itself has been pursuing a flurry of patents recently. The
> software giant was recently awarded
>
<http://news.com.com/Microsoft+checks+off+patent+win/2100-1008_3-5228693.htm
> l?tag=nl> a patent for technology that generates a to-do list from notes
> left in source code.
>
>
> Graeme Wearden of ZDNet
>
<http://dw.com.com/redir?destUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.zdnet.co.uk%2F&siteId=3&o
> Id=2100-1014-5233815&ontId=7343&lop=nl_ex> UK reported from London.
>
>

Received on Wednesday, 16 June 2004 05:56:23 UTC