BT Pushing Hyperlink Patent

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Posted by CmdrTaco on Monday February 11, 2002 @05:35AM from the you-can't-make-this-stuff-up dept.

There's been a lot of new publicity lately about the British Telecom trying to defend a patent that they claim means they invented hyperlinking. Currently they are going after Prodigy for using hyperlinking back in the early eighties. We've mentioned this one before, but it really looks like they are going to push it. Insane.

8 of 452 comments (clear)

Very similar to an Onion article... by twocents · 2002-02-11 05:39 · Score: 4, Funny

http://www.theonion.com/onion3311/microsoftpatents .html

Except the for fact that the current article seems to be based in fact.
Techno/Industrial Wars? by Morphy3 · 2002-02-11 05:42 · Score: 4, Funny

What beef does BT have with the group Prodigy?

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I have not yet begun to procrastinate!
Tagline is hilarious by TheTomcat · 2002-02-11 05:42 · Score: 5, Funny

The last part of the article:

'See "internet links" for the text of BT's patent. There is no charge for doing so.'

*snicker*
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Re:Already set to die on arrival by Flounder · 2002-02-11 05:50 · Score: 4, Funny

As mentioned in the article, Douglas Englebart demonstrated something that sure looks like a hyperlink. Once again, Xerox PARC saves us all! w00T!

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No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow. - Cmdr. Susan Ivanova
You, good sir, are a liar! by Hektor_Troy · 2002-02-11 05:51 · Score: 3, Funny

"I'm not a dork, I'm a geek. Ask my girlfriend."

Geeks don't have girlfriends. You are at most a technically gifted person, who has a girlfriend.

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We do not live in the 21st century. We live in the 20 second century.
Time for another tea party... by Pig+Hogger · 2002-02-11 05:58 · Score: 3, Funny

If this passes, I guess you'll see plenty of dead URLs floating in Boston Harbor...
Re:Not an expert in patent law. by SirSlud · 2002-02-11 06:31 · Score: 3, Funny

> It's depressing, really....

I couldn't agree more, but try convincing a market (the economic equivilent of the spoiled brat that gets what it wants, no matter how bad it is for itself in the future) of that. Everyone's a little too distracted by the amazing special effects, 500 channels and the 'rewindless VCRs' (DVD players) we've invented! Yay!

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"Old man yells at systemd"
Re: If they win... by rnturn · 2002-02-11 07:00 · Score: 3, Funny

Why mess around with around with FidoNet? Why not just go back to using uucp and start an underground Usenet. Might be fun.

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