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Microsoft Patents 'IsNot', Enlists WTO
Milhouse102 writes "I was just reading an article on The Register about Microsoft's offshore patent war following Ballmer's recent outburst in Asia. I came across this little nugget, it seems MS has patented BASIC's IsNot operator."
I am going to patent "is too" and "nuh uh".
I hate sigs.
Somehow, this IsNot funny.
Hmmm Microsoft patents IsNot so we can't say Microsoft IsNot Linux or Mac, right? Maybe because they don't want us to say Microsoft IsNot good? IsNot fair? IsNot using best practice? I guess they are trying to surpress our complaining.
The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.
For future applications, the patent office will have to pay them to say "This IS NOT original".
This is a direct attack against GNU/Linux, no longer will GNU be GNU isNot UNIX!
Slashdot headline, July 23, 2006 -- Patent IsNot Granted.
800 posts later, slashdotters still haven't deciphered the meaning of the headline.
Rule #1 -- Politics always trumps technology.
It depends on what your definition of "is" is...
In other news... (From an old Onion article)
REDMOND, WA--In what CEO Bill Gates called "an unfortunate but necessary step to protect our intellectual property from theft and exploitation by competitors," the Microsoft Corporation patented the numbers one and zero Monday.
With the patent, Microsoft's rivals are prohibited from manufacturing or selling products containing zeroes and ones--the mathematical building blocks of all computer languages and programs--unless a royalty fee of 10 cents per digit used is paid to the software giant.
"Microsoft has been using the binary system of ones and zeroes ever since its inception in 1975," Gates told reporters. "For years, in the interest of the overall health of the computer industry, we permitted the free and unfettered use of our proprietary numeric systems. However, changing marketplace conditions and the increasingly predatory practices of certain competitors now leave us with no choice but to seek compensation for the use of our numerals."
Read More.
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Sounds like a scam, but it works.
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infested with jello like fishes no melotron wishes
There is a sublime although disturbing elegance in the fact that it is illogical to allow MS to patent a logic operator
I am currently trying to patent multiplication so all of you owe me a nickel everytime you times.
Lemme guess. "I'm not an English major."
I believe you mean, "I IsNot an English major."
800 posts later, Slashdotters still are complaining about the dupe.
"Armed forces abroad are of little value unless there is prudent counsel at home" - Cicero
probably a vi user. I bet his ESC key is worn out also.
been there. done that.
probably a vi user. I bet his ESC key is worn out also.
No, but you should see his colon....
Never mind, forget I said that.