Microsoft Suing Barnes & Noble Over Nook

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Nakal

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*sigh* - The Patent system really is not meant for todays software and media.. it really needs an overhaul. It is like patenting specific words and charging authors to use them in a book..
 

Lan

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The patent system is outdated. I'm normally a very staunch Microsoft fanboy. But in this case, I think they are just going overboard.
 

dalauder

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Microsoft, Apple, & all these other BIG companies working the Patent Wars now are really making themselves look like jackasses. They should stop worrying about ludicrous copyright infringement lawsuits and worry more about their public appearance.
 

leorick

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something is seriously wrong with the Patent system. Aren't we supposed to patent great inventions? But it seems every single component inside a device is being patented as well.

This reminds me of RAMBUS. I just hate that company.

And what's up with all the spam in here???
 

cumi2k4

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"a range of functionality embodied in Android devices that are essential to the user experience, including: natural ways of interacting with devices by tabbing through various screens to find the information they need; surfing the Web more quickly, and interacting with documents and e-books."

WTF was that? what ways are considered "natural"? surfing the web more quickly? interacting with documents? what??
 

igot1forya

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"surfing the Web more quickly" - wow... just wow Microsoft... remind me to patent "anything that innovates" so I can collect my license fees from everyone.
 

LORD_ORION

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We need to stop allowing "virtual" patents. I mean seriously? Microsoft has the patent for a "software phone". Completely ridiculous.

When it comes to user interfaces, there are certain ways to do things logically that are common sense. Yet the patent system has allowed these things to be patented as "processes". Seriously, amazon's "1 click purchase" is patented as a "process". Give me a damn break. That patent is a no brainer that the entire population on the planet would figure out to implement on their own if they owned a web store.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for COPYRIGHTING software... look and feel, specific programming code etc... to prevent plagiarism.

But really, it's gotten to the point that the software running on excellent hardware is intentionally impaired in design so patents are not broken. How does the consumer win in this situation?
 

three0duster

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"including: natural ways of interacting with devices by tabbing through various screens to find the information they need; surfing the Web more quickly, and interacting with documents and e-books." So when has microfail ever done anything quickly? Interacting with documents and e-books?, so they are claiming rights to anything that you can interact with documents and e-books their property? So do we have to pay microsoft for pencils and typewriters? Everything they spout is a fallacy.
 

Vorador2

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This can only held back innovation, the patent system in America should be overhauled. One shouldn't be able to patent a nebulous idea like "a portable device that present images on real-time". Instead hard evidence on how the device works should be presented for a patent to be granted.
 

guruofchem

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Love the fact that M$ is suing over user interface elements that they "borrowed" from Apple, who had previously "liberated" them from Xerox. Does that mean eventually Xerox gets all the money? Gotta fix that patent system QUICKLY, methinks...
 

nisallik

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I'm sure that there could be more to this than meets the eye.

"a range of functionality embodied in Android devices that are essential to the user experience, including: natural ways of interacting with devices by tabbing through various screens to find the information they need; surfing the Web more quickly, and interacting with documents and e-books."

For all we know they could of just recycled code, software, or whatever that Microsoft theirself uses.


 

reighnie

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The patent system does need a serious overhaul. Patenting processes, like Amazon's "One-click" checkout, is just insane. This part of the statement clearly shows how ludicrous the system is: "natural ways of interacting with devices..." It says, "natural ways," not "innovative" or "unique." It's as crazy as genetic patents for natural plants given to seed and fertilizer companies. These aren't for plants/seeds that they've genetically engineered or selectively grown, but plants found in the wild or used in 3rd world countries. And, it's not just plants anymore, they're patenting entire animal and human genomes. I'm a programmer and I'm all for copyrights and even patents of innovative processes, programs, and systems.But, processes that are obvious shouldn't be patentable. If someone takes a common loop or entire procedure out of my program and uses it, that should be fine. Now, if he uses an innovative procedure, or huge chunks of my program that I worked hard to design, then I should have recourse to sue. These companies are suing for the most inane things.
 

dainsane1

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this software patent thing is insane. it makes it impossible for a small start up. in theory i should be able to make something neat from a handful of off the shelf parts and drop android (open source part) on it. in practice its a no because m$ will sue if i try and sell this neat open source gizmo. why? because they think they own scroll bars or some other interface thing. i call shenanigans.
 
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