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Microsoft Receives Patent For Double-Click
kaluta writes "The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that Microsoft was granted a patent for double-clicking on April 27. The patent in question is 6,727,830 and says, amongst other stuff: 'A default function for an application is launched if the button is pressed for a short, i.e., normal, period of time. An alternative function of the application is launched if the button is pressed for a long, (e.g., at least one second), period of time. Still another function can be launched if the application button is pressed multiple times within a short period of time, e.g., double click'. So this is what we have to look foward to in the E.U. now?"
Surely it's April Fool's day somewhere in the world for this to happen.
"It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
This is just twice as stupid as Amazon's 1-Click patent...
...I'll get my coat..
I'm breaking patent laws right now...and again...whoops I did again :p
Next up:
Microsoft tries to patent the Internet.
Al Gore files suit.
up 12 days, 22:30, 2 users, load averages: 993.20, 994.21, 994.56
*makes note to limit user processes...
Well, double-dumbass on you!
I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
Now I have to go back and look at my Pong machine to see if it qualifies as Prior Art...
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
Triple Click...
Quad Click...
Qunice Click...
Are still available!!
Hey quit stealing my ideas, you insensitive clod! Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich - Patent Pending Apple Pie - Patent Pending Walking - Patent Pending
in bed.
Are they gonna sue DoubleClick Software? Or the other way around for trademark infringement?
...Apple are granted a patent for keypresses, and IBM are granted a patent for pixels
I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born - Ronald Reagan
when the same story is pushed twice within a short time frame, like this one?
Sex: Patent pending (I may never use this but what the hell.
Might As Well Apply For A Patent ... for mouse movements. .sig I used to see here:
For some reason this reminded me of a
Windows has detected that your mouse has moved. Reboot now for changes to take effect?
No no, that was for a timed button press. Sure the patent numbers are identical, and they may in fact be the same patent, but people are far more likely to become hysterical if it's referred to as a double-click patent.
:wq
Welcome to slashdot.
Romana: "How did you know?" Doctor Who: "Ah, well, knowing is easy. Everyone does THAT ad nauseum. I just sort of hope"
It's time somebody patented double posting a story to slashdot.
Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
I propose owning a patent for middle-clicking in such a way as to extend the middle finger while curling the others.
This "click" does not need to be made on any particular surface. In fact, you could roll down your car window, double-click on your horn, then middle click the air with your arm extended outside said vehicle.
Maybe we should all middle-click Microsoft with both hands as an act of civil disobedience. Needless to say, I don't advice nor advocate doing so while driving.
Sure, but has anyone patented using a specific rhythm? I've got it! Morse code on a cell phone. I here by declare prior art to the whole idea. Whew.
Elevator companies have been doing this for years. Everyone knows that if you push your floors button multiple times that it gets there faster! It's so obvious even 5 year olds know about it!
Yep, Microsoft does own this technology, or at least they made it popular. That hardware button is the computer's reset button.
My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.
my pda computes, and it is mine...so...seems to fit the PC deffinition to me!
Hey, slow down there now--I have a patent on "having a patent pending". Anyone who wishes to have patent pending must pay a license fee.
But then again, Microsoft was mentioned, that word alone seems to make the average slashdotters IQ drop about 80 points.
:(
Wouldn't that make our IQ go negative?
I'm patenting the technique of holding your mouth just right when you move the mouse around in games to score better points. All you hard core gamers out there are gonna owe me big time.
Great, and then I'll have a patent on "complaining", and then I'll be the richest guy in the world!
Comment removed based on user account deletion
You sound like an undergraduate CS major who has never taken any computer theory classes. Just because sequence doesn't terminate doesn't make it useless. To me that's like saying real numbers are useless because they are uncountable. Sure, I don't want to wait for an infinite loop to finish, but I also don't have to know the last digit of pi for it to be useful.
I'm to old for this.
1) Ctrl-Alt-Del
2) Rebooting after installing an application
3) Powering the computer on
4) The arrow pointer for the mouse
5) The hourglass
I think you might be on to something here. Why complicate the human/computer interface with that silly keyboard thing? Let's simplify things by going back to that Apple mouse with one big button. You can indicate to the computer what you want it to do by tapping out various patterns with that one key! Working on a document? Just tap out the patterns for the letters you want. (short-click)(short-click)(short-click) S (long-click)(long-click)(long-click) O (short-click)(short-click)(short-click) S (Sorry, only Morse code I remember.)
You mean like this?
we are building a religion
a limited edition
we are now accepting callers
for these pendant key chains
- the patents office staff is not really qualified?
- the computer network of the patents office might be running on windows?
I imagine a windows popup with "Do you alway trust Microsoft" press [OK] or [Abort]. When selecting [OK] all patents applications from Microsoft Corp. are assigned a auto approval. An employee pressing [Abort] however might get into deep trouble, for not getting enough patent tickets passed in a single day.Its time we send real experienced scientists back as staff inside the Patents office. How can this happen?
Robert
The USPTO has been accused of being lazy and ignorant for their inability/unwillingness to find prior art in the past, but this one takes the cake. The stupid moron who approved this probably double clicked something to do it! Where they using stone and chisel there before July 2002?!?!?
Clap Off! (clap clap)
Clap On, Clap Off, the Clapper!!
This has been a test. If this had been an actual Sig, you would have been amused.
Rotary dials indicated the desired number by "hook flashing" - in other words, when you dialed the number '4' your phone would essentially click the "hang up button" on and off four times. If you did this manually you could dial any number you wished even if the lock was in place. To dial the number 6 you would click up and down 6 times. To dial the number 0 you would click up and down ten times. To dial the number '2' you would...
wait for it...
double click!
(For what it was worth I could dial 1-8 flawlessly, but would often flub up 9 and 0)
If the g'vt kept the data on you that google does you'd better believe you'd be calling it "doing evil"
Bah, screw you Microsoft. Who needs your filthy patented double-clicks anyway?
From now on, I'll be opening my applications and documents by using the free and unrestricted method of triple-clicking! Try to stop me now, dirty oppressers!
Viva la triple-click. Hear my mouse yell "1 click, 2 click......."...er..damn it!!!!
There's a hidden button on women which, if pressed properly, generates various responses. Click once for a slap, twice for a moan, or keep on clicking for more amusing results and sound effects.
And with my dear mother watching The Bachelor religiously, "limited resource computing devices" isn't all that bad a description.
They asked for the wrong patent. The correct one is called:
"Key sequence for setting the system in a sane state: Ctrl+Alt+Del"
This will last until there is nothing left to patent. Then they will decide the RIAA had the right idea all along and everyone from Microsoft to Walmart will turn to suing their customers as their main revenue stream.
"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act!" -- George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair)
Damn, its gonna be a pain in the ass to type out "Small A with a Diaeresis" every time I need one of these stupid things: ä
My mouse has hardware buttons.
Free as in mason.
Request your free CD of my piano music.
>Microsoft was granted a patent for double-clicking on April 27
:-))))))))))))))
Just restrain yourself from double-clicking on April 27, is all.
Make it a day off.
My limited functionality, microprocessor-
controlled personal java engine (Mr. Coffee)
has been using single-click, multi-click, and
time domain click buttons since I first
purchased it SEVEN YEARS AGO. The buttons
are used to program time-of-day, and time-to-
brew functions. In what way is this NOT prior
art, stupid, stupid PTO?