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McAfee Granted Far-Reaching Spam-Control Patent

Posted by timothy on from the what-the-system-isn't-meant-for dept.

Titusdot Groan writes "Infoworld is reporting that Network Associates, makers of McAfee, have been granted a broad anti-spam patent. The patent covers "compound filters, paragraph hashing, and Bayes rules" and was filed in December of 2002. The patent appears to affect Spam Assassin, Spam Bayes and many other anti-spam products and services. As an aside Paul Graham's "A Plan for Spam" was published August 2002."

3 of 449 comments (clear)

  1. Great news.. by nother_nix_hacker · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...if they can accept this then there is still hope for my application: "Use of the letter E (used in upper or lower context)."

  2. It just came to my mind... by Advocadus+Diaboli · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...that if McAffe can get a patent for anti-spam techniques then I should be able to get one as well for spam techniques. That would enable me to sue every spammer even if spamming in some countries is not treated as illegal, but patent violation surely is. :-)

  3. Someone set up us the Patent.... by ear1grey · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...all your Bayes are belong to us.

    --
    boakes.org