Are you sure this AG has anything better to do? Just because St. Louis vies with Detroit as murder capital of the US doesn't mean that the AG has anything to do. And let's not forget, Ashcroft got his start in Missouri, before starting his singing carreer in DC.
There have been apps that manage personal info (dating services, tickler apps) since the 80's, and they have been networked since the early 90's. If facebook has any sense, they will just go with prior art.
...as a developer who hates software patents! Who the heck wants to spend untold hours writing software only to find out some jackass patented the idea, and you now owe them any profits, royalties, your first born child, and you must destroy all copies of the infringing work! And as for "promoting innovation" by "giving a description of the invention by which a person skilled in the craft can reproduce said invention," that is so much horse hockey! The descriptions are only detailed enough to allow maximum lawsuit coverage! The reviewers at the PTO are not remotely skilled enough to assess these patents, and lawyers should in no way have control over innovation.
Could it be that these obvious patents with prior art are really just a defense against more general patents? Maybe Amazon knows that there is a patent on doing this with "Electronic Data" somewhere, so they got this patent to fight the other one(s)?
Just a thought, foolishly hoping for sanity from the PTO...
Major corporations use patents to rip off the little guy. Little guys get patents, and then get ripped off by the corporation anyway. WHY ARE WE CALLING THE PATENT SYSTEM VALID??? It doesn't work. It can't do anything but stifle innovation and productivity. When the little guy is worried about stopping the big company instead of competing with it, he loses because he can't pay the lawyers. When the little guy can't compete because of a bogus (or valid) patent, he loses because he can't pay the lawyers. They only guys who win are the lawyers.
Here's the simple solution: If you put something on the web, you are purposely sharing it with the public. It is therefore Public Domain. You renounce all copyright to that specific binary file, because you have placed it on a medium specifically made for copying.
I'm not talking about putting things that you do not own the copyright to. I'm talking about morons who upload high-def pics an then cry that someone copied it.
If you AC's bother to reply to this, try to make a coherent argument. I'm sick of legislation fanboys.
A quick check of an e-mail isn't a big deal, but try having a conversation with one of these people. It's adult ADHD. Guess what? The person trying to talk to you while you "check out" isn't the one with the big ego. It's someone who can't show enough courtesy to wait 5 minutes until they are alone to text back! Besides, one of the rules of etiquette is to look the speaker in the eye.
FYI, if you are hitting buttons on your phone and haven't bothered to say, "Excuse me, I need to reply to this" You are an a$$!
For an experience that will teach even the worst offender how rude this is, try talking to a teenager with an unlimited text plan.
Exactly. The article says, "top engineers, marketers and executives". Being an engineer that was blocked from moving by an UNWRITTEN deal by my old employer (albeit not in Silicon Valley) I really can't describe how unfair this practice is. Basically, I would have had to quit the company before anyone would even talk to me. And if you are feeling so bad about your job that you want a move, the uncertainty of quitting without another job lined up is a huge obstacle.
Consider, too, that a manager's apparent competency often has attrition factored in. These agreements hamper proper feedback to higher management.
I'm not sure if it can truly be called an "anti-trust" issue, but it is certainly unfair to employees.
Don't forget Illinois has a law against DVD's that do not display a title/copyright date. So, yeah, possessing bootleg DVD's IS a crime, at least in Illinois!
I am sure, however, that this law was in no way a result of campaign contributions to either of our last two Governors, both of which are now serving time...
Anyone notice that Microsoft seems to lose these on a fairly regular basis, and only squeaks through on appeal?
It's like they don't want to win, because they could easily do it with prior art. The concept of separating presentation from content has been described since SGML. Really weird...
...As they should. A mortgage is a legally binding contract, subject to any applicable law. Perhaps you would like to pay 100% APR on your next loan? Damn those lawyers and judges limiting it to 29%!
“If the facts are on your side, bang on the facts. If the law is on your side, bang on the law. If neither the facts nor the law is on your side, bang on the table.”
On the post: US Prosecutor Wants To Appeal Lori Drew Ruling
Wait a minute...
On the post: Facebook Sued Over Patent On Distributing Personal Info On A Network
Prior art
On the post: Software Patents Just As Ridiculous As Literary Patents?
Put me down...
On the post: Software Patents Just As Ridiculous As Literary Patents?
Coders hate software patents
On the post: Is It Illegal To Posess Unmarked CDs In Texas?
Uh, Illinois...
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=072000050K16-8
On the post: John McCain Settles Jackson Browne Lawsuit Over Song Use
Re:
Then again, as a previous post put it, he probably is against fair use. Just don't give me that "doesn't have time" line without a sarcasm tag.
On the post: Belgium Fines Yahoo For Protecting User Privacy On Its US Servers
Belgium
On the post: Would Amazon Offer Up Free eBooks With Advertising?
Defensive patent?
Just a thought, foolishly hoping for sanity from the PTO...
On the post: Will Bogus Patent Lawsuits Lead Entrepreneurs To Leave The US?
My God, angry dude GOT IT RIGHT!
On the post: Will Bogus Patent Lawsuits Lead Entrepreneurs To Leave The US?
Easy answer to stupid problem
I'm not talking about putting things that you do not own the copyright to. I'm talking about morons who upload high-def pics an then cry that someone copied it.
If you AC's bother to reply to this, try to make a coherent argument. I'm sick of legislation fanboys.
On the post: French Court Orders P2P News Site To Report On File Sharing Convictions
France...
(US is the runner-up)
On the post: Electronic Arts Stages Protest of Dante's Inferno at E3
Re: Re: It's the law that's the problem
On the post: In Defense Of Mobile E-Mail 'Addiction'
Texting
FYI, if you are hitting buttons on your phone and haven't bothered to say, "Excuse me, I need to reply to this" You are an a$$!
For an experience that will teach even the worst offender how rude this is, try talking to a teenager with an unlimited text plan.
On the post: Is It An Antitrust Violation To Agree Not To Poach Employees From Competitors?
Re: not just execs
Consider, too, that a manager's apparent competency often has attrition factored in. These agreements hamper proper feedback to higher management.
I'm not sure if it can truly be called an "anti-trust" issue, but it is certainly unfair to employees.
On the post: Can Washington Charge Unauthorized Downloaders With Tax Evasion?
Conspiracy Theory
I'm thinking about Microsoft specifically, but Blizzard certainly merits mention...
On the post: Store Payment Info In Your Online Store? Watch Out For Patent Infringement Lawsuits
Re: So this is The famed "Texas Justice"?
On the post: Since When Is Driving With Infringing DVDs A Crime?
Illinois
I am sure, however, that this law was in no way a result of campaign contributions to either of our last two Governors, both of which are now serving time...
On the post: Wait, Editing An XML Document Is Patented And Worth $98 Per Application?
Conspiracy Theory
It's like they don't want to win, because they could easily do it with prior art. The concept of separating presentation from content has been described since SGML. Really weird...
On the post: Judge Apparently Thinks He Can Tell Newspaper Which Photos It Can Use
Re: Re: Reactionaries...
On the post: Movie Studios Continue To Demand Australian ISP Admit To Supporting Piracy
It's to be expected
The studio's have lost, and they know it.
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