Slayer 0 Report post Posted June 5, 2004 Source WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Computer users with itchy trigger fingers take note: The next time you open a software program with two quick clicks on a handheld computer you may be engaging in a process patented by Microsoft Corp. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on April 27 granted a patent for a "time based hardware button for application launch" in which a click of a button can start different programs if it is clicked once, twice or held down for several seconds. That's a process familiar to countless computer users who have double-clicked their way through Microsoft's Windows operating system, as well as anyone who's tried to set the time on a digital watch. Mouse-wielding computer users need not worry, as the patent only applies to handheld computers which run Microsoft's PocketPC software -- specifically the method of bringing up different features depending on how many times a button is pressed. But the application highlights shortcomings in the Patent and Trademark Office, where examiners short on time and resources are hard-pressed to root out earlier examples of similar technology, said San Francisco patent consultant Gregory Aharonian. "Unless the examiner had a patent or journal article in front of them, it's going to be hard" to reject the application, he said. "The examiners need the pieces of paper. They're like the IRS." The Federal Trade Commission last year said the PTO should not grant patents so readily, as those granted for obvious concepts, such as one granted in 1895 for putting a gasoline engine in a car, can impede progress by preventing competitors from improving on them. PTO spokeswoman Brigid Quinn declined to comment about the patent but said anyone was free to challenge it. "If people feel that the patent is either not novel or that it's obvious, they can send us the evidence and if indeed the prior art raises a question of patentability we will examine it," Quinn said. Microsoft, which spends nearly $7 billion yearly on research, said that it regularly patents technologies around the use of software and computers. Aharonian said Microsoft has never filed a patent-violation suit to the best of his knowledge. The company has been the target of patent suits, however. Privately held Eolas Technologies Inc. won a $520 million judgment last August after a jury determined that Microsoft had violated Eolas' patent when it designed its Internet Explorer browser to run mini-applications that allow Web users to fill out forms and use other interactive features. Microsoft has appealed that decision and the PTO agreed to review the patent after the standard-setting World Wide Web Consortium challenged it. Discuss the importance of this issue as it relates to life and national stuff as you know it (and certainly not why it is fluff) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted June 5, 2004 Source WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Computer users with itchy trigger fingers take note: The next time you open a software program with two quick clicks on a handheld computer you may be engaging in a process patented by Microsoft Corp. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on April 27 granted a patent for a "time based hardware button for application launch" in which a click of a button can start different programs if it is clicked once, twice or held down for several seconds. That's a process familiar to countless computer users who have double-clicked their way through Microsoft's Windows operating system, as well as anyone who's tried to set the time on a digital watch. Mouse-wielding computer users need not worry, as the patent only applies to handheld computers which run Microsoft's PocketPC software -- specifically the method of bringing up different features depending on how many times a button is pressed. But the application highlights shortcomings in the Patent and Trademark Office, where examiners short on time and resources are hard-pressed to root out earlier examples of similar technology, said San Francisco patent consultant Gregory Aharonian. "Unless the examiner had a patent or journal article in front of them, it's going to be hard" to reject the application, he said. "The examiners need the pieces of paper. They're like the IRS." The Federal Trade Commission last year said the PTO should not grant patents so readily, as those granted for obvious concepts, such as one granted in 1895 for putting a gasoline engine in a car, can impede progress by preventing competitors from improving on them. PTO spokeswoman Brigid Quinn declined to comment about the patent but said anyone was free to challenge it. "If people feel that the patent is either not novel or that it's obvious, they can send us the evidence and if indeed the prior art raises a question of patentability we will examine it," Quinn said. Microsoft, which spends nearly $7 billion yearly on research, said that it regularly patents technologies around the use of software and computers. Aharonian said Microsoft has never filed a patent-violation suit to the best of his knowledge. The company has been the target of patent suits, however. Privately held Eolas Technologies Inc. won a $520 million judgment last August after a jury determined that Microsoft had violated Eolas' patent when it designed its Internet Explorer browser to run mini-applications that allow Web users to fill out forms and use other interactive features. Microsoft has appealed that decision and the PTO agreed to review the patent after the standard-setting World Wide Web Consortium challenged it. Discuss the importance of this issue as it relates to life and national stuff as you know it (and certainly not why it is fluff) Well, there's also this: http://satirewire.com/briefs/windowsvirus.shtml I would've posted The Onion story about Microsoft patenting "0" and "1" --- but that would be fluff. -=Mike ...Who actually likes MS (XBox is spiffy) and won't double click once during this post Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Highland 0 Report post Posted June 5, 2004 ..Who actually likes MS (XBox is spiffy) and won't double click once during this post I just did, out of habit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted June 5, 2004 I just did, out of spite. I'm not letting some billion-dollar corporation push ME around. At least not at this time... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted June 5, 2004 I just did, out of spite. I'm not letting some billion-dollar corporation push ME around. At least not at this time... I would TOTALLY sell out --- if they made an offer. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Danny Dubya v 2.0 Report post Posted June 5, 2004 Reading that causes me great nausea. I can't stand Microsoft anymore. I don't care how successful they are with keeping that patent... I'm already disgusted enough that they even contemplated patenting the fucking double-click. Microsoft, which spends nearly $7 billion yearly on research, said that it regularly patents technologies around the use of software and computers. Oh, really? I thought they spent that annual $7 billion working on a faster revolutionary OS to trump their last one, and then loaded it with a bunch of useless and performance-compromising features for user-friendliness, eye candy and complete dependence on IE to do anything. I was clearly mistaken, however. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted June 5, 2004 Microsoft, which spends nearly $7 billion yearly on research, said that it regularly patents technologies around the use of software and computers. Oh, really? I thought they spent that annual $7 billion working on a faster revolutionary OS to trump their last one, and then loaded it with a bunch of useless and performance-compromising features for user-friendliness, eye candy and complete dependence on IE to do anything. I was clearly mistaken, however. It's called "context" -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slayer 0 Report post Posted June 5, 2004 Microsoft, which spends nearly $7 billion yearly on research, said that it regularly patents technologies around the use of software and computers. Oh, really? I thought they spent that annual $7 billion working on a faster revolutionary OS to trump their last one, and then loaded it with a bunch of useless and performance-compromising features for user-friendliness, eye candy and complete dependence on IE to do anything. I was clearly mistaken, however. I thought you said you weren't proficient in Linux Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Danny Dubya v 2.0 Report post Posted June 5, 2004 Microsoft, which spends nearly $7 billion yearly on research, said that it regularly patents technologies around the use of software and computers. Oh, really? I thought they spent that annual $7 billion working on a faster revolutionary OS to trump their last one, and then loaded it with a bunch of useless and performance-compromising features for user-friendliness, eye candy and complete dependence on IE to do anything. I was clearly mistaken, however. I thought you said you weren't proficient in Linux Enough not to rely on that shit again. I meant, don't ask me any questions about running servers or shell-scripting or anything like that, but I'm fully adjusted to using it for normal desktop computing. I already posted this in your thread beforehand... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yankovic fan 0 Report post Posted June 6, 2004 awe the heck with it, I'll quadruple click Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted June 6, 2004 Fuck it, I'll quadruple click I clicked so much my mouse is on fire. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tawren 0 Report post Posted June 6, 2004 The mouse! The mouse! The mouse is on fire! We don't need no Windows let the shitty program burn! Burn! Burn mother burn! ...sorry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted June 6, 2004 The mouse! The mouse! The mouse is on fire! We don't need no Windows let the shitty program burn! Burn! Burn mother burn! ...sorry. When you say that, it makes Bill Gates cry. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted June 6, 2004 You all realize that this covers PDAs right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted June 6, 2004 You all realize that this covers PDAs right? Damn. He is diabolical. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted June 6, 2004 You all realize that this covers PDAs right? What the hell does double-clicking have to do with high school kids making out in the hallways? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Crazy Dan Report post Posted June 6, 2004 Man this is almost as bad as Trump trademarking "You're Fired". I mean how do you patent an action anyways? Man, I don't hate Microsoft as much as some do, but this is definately one of those actions that really makes me think Bill Gates is "evil". But how does one really enforce this? Well, at least the one thing I will say about Gates, despite his dubious business practices, he does donate a lot of money to charities. So some of his money, or a lot compared to me, does help a lot less fortunate people. And so I will not put any voodoo curses on him, yet. But I will pray for a bully to swipe his glasses one time and hold them in his arm stretched out towards the sky. All the while holding a temper throwing Gates at bay with his other arm placed on Bill's forehead, and Bill can not come any further. But he swings his arms back and forth, missing the bully each time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Hero to all Children Report post Posted June 8, 2004 Well, the idea behind it is that double clicking can make things a lot easier. If you only have one button on your mouse then a held-down-click can mark, a double click can open and a single click can open a menu. Which can be a lot easier than holding down the control and alt/meta keys for these functions. Especially when you try to do extra stuff such as copying, deleting and otherwise doing stuff that requires keyboard hotkeys. And it's not like the patent extends to desktop PCs, Linux users won't have to pay royalties to microsoft as soon as they aqquire a mouse and X Windows. On a PDA it's even more useful though because they have these piss-tiny keyboards, if any at all. Why shouldn't Microsoft profit from pioneering an interesting technology? It's not like we'll be paying royalties to them in the 22nd century for double-clicking whatever we're using then. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted June 8, 2004 This stuff has me so scared I'm now coming to all of you from an abacus. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slayer 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2004 This stuff has me so scared I'm now coming to all of you from an abacus. -=Mike 0100001001000100011110100100010010001000100011000100001000111101000 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted June 8, 2004 This stuff has me so scared I'm now coming to all of you from an abacus. -=Mike 0100001001000100011110100100010010001000100011000100001000111101000 I think you mean YOUR mother!!! Booooo-urns! -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slayer 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2004 This stuff has me so scared I'm now coming to all of you from an abacus. -=Mike 0100001001000100011110100100010010001000100011000100001000111101000 I think you mean YOUR mother!!! Booooo-urns! -=Mike 01011 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted June 8, 2004 This stuff has me so scared I'm now coming to all of you from an abacus. -=Mike 0100001001000100011110100100010010001000100011000100001000111101000 I think you mean YOUR mother!!! Booooo-urns! -=Mike 01011 Damn. Just got served. -=Mike ...Binary digs are the worst... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2004 01011 +1... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted June 8, 2004 01011 +1... I'm deeply offended by that. -=Mike ...Deeply Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2004 I have no idea what I just did -- I've just seen all those crazy kids do it and was trying to be hip. My wall of lies has come tumbling down all around me... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted June 8, 2004 I have no idea what I just did -- I've just seen all those crazy kids do it and was trying to be hip. My wall of lies has come tumbling down all around me... OMG BAN PLZ! -=Mike ...LOL2004? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slayer 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2004 ...LOL2004? You mean LOL1111101010~! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted June 8, 2004 ...LOL2004? You mean LOL1111101010~! Damn you and your binary oppression!!! -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
