You Might Be a Microsoft Patent Infringer

theodp writes "Do you use drop-down menus, alphanumerical input boxes, check boxes, radio buttons or sliders to allow client side-processing of data? Utilize SQL, HTML, ActiveX, Java, Perl, JavaScript or JScript to do so? Employ arrays, stacks, queues, linked lists, or decision trees to organize things? Well Bunky, you might be infringing on Microsoft's new patent for Dynamically adjusting data values and enforcing valid combinations of the data in response to remote user input, which the USPTO granted Tuesday after 6+ years and two rejections."

Comments

The example they use in the patent application

[multiplexo]

is interesting, an online used car lot. Microsoft has a plug-in for IE that you can download if you use their Carpoint website. It allows you to select a model and then change the trim and options on it and get a price. I wonder if there is code in the plugin that relates to this patent.

Because ....

[gstoddart]

Why Slashdot obesses over patent issuance I'll never understand. Just because some gets a patent doesn't mean that it will hold water in court.

Constructs mentioned in the summarly like stacks and queues are fundamental computer data structures. All programmers have used them at one time in their lives, and will probably need to again.

Do you really think that any developer (or most companies) can afford to actually survive long enough to dispute it in court once Microsoft rolls out a fleet of high-priced lawyers? If they get overbroad patents, nobody in the industry will be able to do anything. Period.

First year programming courses will all violate the frigging patent.

The reason why Slashdot 'obsesses' with patent issues is they stand a very real chance of undermining the ability of people to work in the profession unless they're on the Microsoft payroll.

Unless, of course, you plan on funding the legal defence of the first poor schmoe who has to to find out if the patent will hold water in court.

Hell, even the US DoJ can't get Microsoft into a court room in a timely manner.

Cheers

Re:Oh God Not Again

[Marxist Hacker 42]

Alternatively, C, you can photocopy the stupid Cease-and-Desist letter, publish it to slashdot, and let us tear it apart, don't respond, archive the results and wait. When MICROSOFT spends the money to drag you into court, you don't even need to hire a lawyer- just take your printout and file it as an amicus brief. And be sure to send a second copy to the newspapers so that the rest of us can laugh at Microsoft also.