Re: 1995 Notes Feature = 2004 Microsoft Patent

Ridiculous.  The beat goes on.

Since the 80s, this has been standard design for BBS message boards and our
product, the #1 Intranet/BBS system in the world!

Don't you see what's going on?    It doesn't matter what was already prior
art any more.  If you got the bucks, just file it as a patent and the people
at the USPTO who probably think the netcomputing world  started with
Microsoft, the internet and web,  will put their stamp on it putting the
burden on the rest of the world to dispute it.

Microsoft wins either way.

If it was:

o prior art,  "no problem, sorry"
o a patent already,  "sorry, no problem, here's a few bucks"
o no claim, "We got them"
o Some else tries to claim, "Sorry, we are protected!"

So as the old saying goes, "just throw the Sh$T against the wall and see
what sticks."

Basically, Microsoft is just protecting itself.  I doubt they will try to go
after people because its already prior art.  But having it filed, although
under false conditions, still offers them a level of protection against
other who are born tomorrow and think its a great idea!

---
Hector Santos, CTO
WINSERVER "Wildcat! Interactive Net Server"
http://www.santronics.com


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <TheoDP@aol.com>
To: <public-web-plugins@w3.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2004 11:19 PM
Subject: 1995 Notes Feature = 2004 Microsoft Patent



Microsoft was granted a patent Tuesday for Thread based email, which covers
'storing a
single copy of the e-mail message at a host system to be shared by the
plurality of intended
recipients,' a concept that was old hat back in 1994 and implemented in
Mindshare Mail and
Notes 4.0.

Links at:

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20040309/1258203.shtml

Received on Wednesday, 10 March 2004 09:51:33 UTC