jonathon wrote:
On Fri, Aug 14, 2009 at 17:10, NoOp wrote:
It's going to get nasty out there folks...
<http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=7,571,169.PN.&OS=PN/7,571,169&RS=PN/7,571,169>
[Word-processing document stored in a single XML file that may be manipulated
by applications that understand XML - Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
(Redmond, WA)]
That one fails both prior art and obviousness.
The only reason for awarding a patent like that is complete, utter,
an d absolute incompetence by the USPTO.
jonathon
I understand at one time the US Patent and Trademark Office required by
law to hire engineers, and that they can't hire computer science majors.
You know, the people whose formal training provides some hope of
understanding the issues involved in software patents? Does anyone know
whether that stupidity has been changed.
I won't address the terrible idea of patenting algorithms and software.
There are patents on a single NUMBER. <further US Pat&T office abuse
deleted>
David Teague
