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Microsoft Seeks Patent On Virtual Desktop Pager

ihabawad writes "Microsoft has a patent on file for this really cool new technology called 'virtual desktops' where you see a 'pager' on the screen. Read all about it by searching under "Published Applications" for patent #20030189597 at the US Patent and Trademark Office. You know, I had a dream that I was using such a thing once; what was it called? -- yes, FvwmPager! Weird, eh?"

28 of 716 comments (clear)

  1. Seems familiar by SpiffyMarc · · Score: 4, Funny

    Microsoft reminds me of that kid who always has to be "reminded" of the rules whenever he plays a game with the other kids...

    "No Billy, that's not your toy. That's FVWM's toy. Say you're sorry!"

  2. Major Corporation... by GypC · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... patents idea with lots of prior art.

    News at 11.

  3. Post link to site! by toyotaboy · · Score: 0, Funny

    Geez, can't you post the link instead of us having to copy+paste? http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=P TO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2F srchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220030189597%22.PGN R.&OS=DN/20030189597&RS=DN/20030189597

    1. Re:Post link to site! by 1u3hr · · Score: 4, Funny
      Geez, can't you post the link instead of us having to copy+paste?

      I'm not sure if that was irony or stupidity. Anyway, here's a clickable link to the patent.

  4. Dreaming Prior Art ...? by handy_vandal · · Score: 4, Funny

    You know, I had a dream that I was using such a thing once; what was it called? -- yes, FvwmPager! Weird, eh?

    Can a dream constitute prior art?

    -kgj

    --
    -kgj
  5. Re:Direct Link by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Well, now:

    It took ages to find it... *sigh*

    Story Posted

    Microsoft Seeks Patent On Virtual Desktop Pager
    Posted by timothy on Wednesday February 25, @09:37AM


    Comment posted:

    Direct Link (Score:1)
    by huha (755976) on Wednesday February 25, @09:41AM (#8385557)


    Conclusion:

    Either you are whoring for karma with the old poor me excuse, or you suffer from ADHD.

  6. Innovative by r0ckflite · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ah, but you don't understand. MS's patent uses xml! That's makes it sufficiently different from all previous desktop pagers. :)

    --

    Push the button Max!!!!

  7. Re:Direct Link by tunah · · Score: 5, Funny
    Posted by timothy on Thursday February 26, @03:37AM

    by huha (755976) on Thursday February 26, @03:41AM (#8385557)

    It took ages to find it... *sigh*

    --
    Free Java games for your phone: Tontie, Sokoban
  8. Re:You may want to mention that by cybermace5 · · Score: 4, Funny

    You know, why doesn't the US Patent Office simply open up a web submission system? Whip up your own patent document, upload it, and it's automatically assigned a number.

    It's not really the Patent Office's job to ensure that every patent is totally original and has never been done before. A patent is only really used when the invention ends up in court. If it's not defendable, it will be nullified. However, who wants to sit across from Microsoft in a courtroom? Maybe if you slip and break your leg on the sidewalk in front of their office building. Even in that case you'd probably end up paying $10,000 to repair the scuffmarks you made in the concrete.

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    ...
  9. Re:You may want to mention that by XpirateX · · Score: 2, Funny

    Microsoft will probably get this patent and go on to sue anyone using the technology out of existence.

    Translation:

    They're "innovating"

  10. Re:MS *doesn't* have a patent on this! by nicky_d · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, we can still froth at the mouth about the fact that MS has been brazen enough to *apply* for the patent. And then if the patent is granted, we can froth twice as much.

  11. dude they're gonna get so sued by SCO :) by tommten · · Score: 1, Funny

    since Darl thinks pagers are a derivate of unixware

    --
    - I choked on the red pill and now I'm stuck in limbo
  12. Re:You may want to mention that by Lussarn · · Score: 2, Funny

    I don't think an invention counts until it's done on windows.

  13. Re:There is a difference... by alexo · · Score: 3, Funny

    > Of course, this is exactly the kind of trivial difference that disqualifies it from being 'new and non-obvious', so it still deserves to get laughed out of the Patent Office...

    And, as we all know, obvious and stupid patents always get laughed out of the Patent Office.

  14. Re:Power Toys for Windows XP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    powertoys!

    what a bunch of arse. since when has a simple tool that someone might or might not find useful been a 'powertoy'?

    they really do think we're cunts.

  15. I left my virtual pager by Darth23 · · Score: 1, Funny

    on my BOB virtual desktop.

    --

    -------- In Soviet Russia, "Soviet Russia" sigs hate Slashdot.

  16. MS owns rights to blue screens too by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    MS filed for the virtual bluescreen
    desktop patent

  17. Re:its not a joke by Superfreaker · · Score: 4, Funny


    >>I work as an examiner

    Boy, you are in trouble now!

    Wait, shouldn't you be reviewing patents instead of posting here?

  18. OLVWM (OpenLook Virtual Window Manager)... by shatteredsilicon · · Score: 2, Funny

    ... is the earliest implementation of this that I can remember. This was circa 1993, IIRC, i.e. in the days of Windows 3.x. I was running it on a Sun 3/260 running SunOS 4.1.1. It was a cool upgrade from Sun's standard OLWM... I am not sure I can shout PRIOR ART loudly enough on this one...

  19. Re:nVidia Desktop Explorer does this on windows by John_Booty · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now...if I had a seperate monitor for each desktop, that would be cool.

    If you actually had a separate monitor for each desktop, it would be hard to call them virtual at that point, wouldn't it? :P

    --

    OtakuBooty.com: Smart, funny, sexy nerds.
  20. Be sure to find the first one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    ... because, you know, if it was taco he probably submitted it 2 or 3 times.

    too obvious?

  21. Re:its not a joke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    Wait, shouldn't you be reviewing patents instead of posting here?

    Where better than here to research prior art? This one's already in the bag, so long as the investigator reads /.

  22. Re:slashdotting the US Patent Office by CjKing2k · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's ok, you're paying for their bandwidth anyway.

  23. But how can MS patent if they didn't it? by Billly+Gates · · Score: 3, Funny
    After all we all know SCO wrote it.

  24. Re:You may want to mention that by iminplaya · · Score: 1, Funny

    You know, why doesn't the US Patent Office simply open up a web submission system?

    Uh..because it's been patented?

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    What?
  25. Re:nVidia Desktop Explorer does this on windows by Zork+the+Almighty · · Score: 4, Funny

    I also had my first VD (virtual desktop) experience with Sun's CDE. I use to think that the invented the concept. So can we now expect a new round of law suits against MS?

    THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING. WE THOUGHT YOU MEANT VENEREAL DISEASE.

    --

    In Soviet America the banks rob you!
  26. just made a test... by teenkitten · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...if a windows user knows what a pager is :) and he didn't knew what i'm talking about. congratulation to the user (mcp) you made it ;)

  27. Re:nVidia Desktop Explorer does this on windows by rixstep · · Score: 2, Funny

    My great great great great grandfather knew Charles Babbage. They met through Lord Byron; Ada left Babbage for my great great great grandfather later in life.

    Anyway, my great great great grandfather and Babbage worked on a virtual desktop back then too.

    They initially named it 'Vada' for 'Virtual Ada' but later changed the name, at Ada's behest, to 'Vader'.

    I've seen sketches of it; it was really cool.