On Mon, 15 Aug 2005, Michael Hughes wrote:
Imagine if there was a bill on the table for allowing patents to only
be submitted in a Word .doc file... or only written with a Bic Pen on Mead
Paper. I'd be suspicious about a behind-the-scenes deal between Mead and the
US Patent Registry. Not very indicative of a 'Free-market Society.'
Well ... guess what - they're already on the way! The Patent & Trademark
Office has an electronic filing system that requires Windows 2000 or XP.
Even Macs are out! Fortunately, you can still file a paper application ...
but how long do you suppose that will last.
I thought I read that the submission format is XML which, if properly
documented could allow an open-sorcerer to write an editor. But I can't
find that now. Two interesting links:
http://www.uspto.gov/ebc/efs/downloads/systemreq.htm
and this FAQ entry:
http://www.uspto.gov/ebc/efs/faq/fileformats.htm
which poses the question, "Why is it unacceptable to electronically file
an application saved in Portable Document Format (PDF)?" - and doesn't
answer it! Subversive meta-comment from a Unix-loving documentation guy?
I work for an online university and am moderately disgusted that we
just moved all student records over to a system that *only* works with
Internet Explorer. We just excluded (or caused significant inconvenience
for) all students who choose to avoid IE for reasons of convenience, cost
and/or security. (I'm one of them.) I had no power to change this, but
maybe I can help catch someone else from making the same mistake.
The "IE-only" syndrome is out of control. I see no solution.
Judah
