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IBM Patents Web Page Templates

Posted by timothy on from the patent-office-crack dept.

jalefkowit writes: "More follies from the US Patent & Trademark Office ... now IBM has been awarded US Patent #6,304,886 for software that automatically "generates [a] customized Web site without the Web site creator writing any HTML or other programming code", based on "a plurality of pre-stored templates, comprising HTML formatting code, text, fields, and formulas" that are then customized through the process of asking the user a few questions. In other words, they've patented the ubiquitous wizards found in FrontPage and other newbie-oriented HTML editors. This was submitted to the USPTO on June 19, 1998 -- surely someone out there knows of prior art for this?"

5 of 420 comments (clear)

  1. in other news... by superdk · · Score: 2, Offtopic

    The RIAA patents sound in an attempt to draw royalties on everything that makes any sound including but not limited to musical works and things that go bump in the night.

    Film at 11:00

    --


    Silly slashdot, sigs are for kids!
    1. Re:in other news... by re-geeked · · Score: 3, Offtopic

      *Silent* film at eleven.

      --
      "You can't get something for nothing." - my grandfather, on the stock market and Reaganomics.
    2. Re:in other news... by pgpckt · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      Nope, sorry, but the way the RIAA has patented sound *includes* the lack of sound too. After all, a stream of all zeros XORed with the right one time pad could be a copyrighted song! The RIAA has therefore secured rights to all zeros, XOR, and one time pads.

      --
      Lawrence Lessig is my personal hero.
  2. some days... by forgetmenot · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I'm just afraid of waking up... somebody might have patented THAT!

  3. Re:What can be done? by Rothfuss · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    You are correct ANONYMOUS COWARD. Thank you for pointing out my minor error. It is nice to see that you have the time to hide behind anonymity, pointing out insignificant errors, even though the point of my communication was in no way jeopardized. You are a tribute to Score:0's everywhere.

    Kudos!

    -Rothfuss