Apple Patented by Microsoft

An anonymous reader writes "C|net is reporting that Microsoft received a patent on Tuesday for a new variety of apple tree. U.S. Plant Patent 14,757, granted to Robert Burchinal of East Wenatchee, Wash., and assigned to Microsoft, covers a new type of tree discovered in the early 1990s in the Wenatchee area, a major commercial apple-growing region. Dubbed the 'Burchinal Red Delicious,' the tree is notable for producing fruit that achieves a deep red color significantly earlier than other varieties. It is sold commercially as the 'Adams Apple.'" Apparently, the assignation of the patent to Microsoft was an error. Or so they would have us believe ...

Comments

Re:It isn't even april....

[gumbi west]

FYI, if you want to find where posts like this are from (i.e. who wrote it) you can google large chunks of text in quotes.

i.e. google "most contentious aspects of the text which stated that farmers" (with the quotes) and you will see that this was lifted from here This article is so long that sections may have been lifted from various places... to find them, just use google...

I can believe it - look what isn't mine

[MerlynEmrys67]

This isn't mine

So this is a patent filling, right from the USPTO - it isn't mine, e-mailed the law firm, no response. I am assuming sometime before it issues, but who knows. I would rather believe that the government screwed up rather than Microsoft is busy buying up patents on apple trees