BT Pushing Hyperlink Patent

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.

Comments

the video evidence against BT

[thumbtack]

of Douglas C Englebart demonstrating links in Dec 1968 can be found here.

patent idiocy in the patent office's own words

[markj02]

"If I patented a flying machine the patent could equally apply to helicopters and aeroplanes even though they are completely different," explains Stephen Probert deputy director of the Patent Office.

I think this tells you how out of touch the patent office is with the intent of patents. A patent on a "flying machine" should be written in such a way that someone of ordinary skill in the art can build one based on the patent. If the patent teaches you how to build a flying machine, you'll know whether you end up with an airplane or a helicopter (the patent may, of course, contain explicit descriptions of both, in which case you'd know as well).

The notion that a patent can teach someone of ordinary skill how to build the patented invention, yet be so vague that it covers all flying machines is ludicrous, and it's symptomatic of what is wrong with the patent office. You get it here in Probert's own words.

counter them with more patents

[liquidsin]

If they push to get this through, I say we get Al Gore to nail them for using 'his' internet to build their technology without paying licensing fees or royalties.

Oh, and be sure to mod me 'redundant' for this comment, too.