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Company Claims Patent Over XML

Posted by Zonk on from the such-a-headache dept.

Aviran Mordo writes "News.com reports that a small software developer plans to seek royalties from companies that use XML, the latest example of patent claims embroiling the tech industry. Charlotte, N.C-based Scientigo owns two patents (No. 5,842,213 and No. 6,393,426) covering the transfer of 'data in neutral forms.' These patents, one of which was applied for in 1997, are infringed upon by the data-formatting standard XML, Scientigo executives assert."

5 of 421 comments (clear)

  1. Patenting Patents by bldp · · Score: 5, Funny

    Somebody should patent the patent process. Quite possibly the only way to screw it up more.

    1. Re:Patenting Patents by psst · · Score: 5, Funny

      I have seen this comment posted in every article related to patent abuse. In fact, I am thinking of patenting the idea of patenting the patent process, just so it never comes up on slashdot again. Of course, at some point someone would take it even further and patent patenting my idea, and the someone else ... blah blah blah ... I think you get the idea =)

    2. Re:Patenting Patents by bldp · · Score: 5, Funny

      We'll just create Godwin's rule of Patent threads.

      As an online discussion about patents grows longer, the probability someone saying "I'll just patent the patent process" approaches 1.

  2. No wonder you guys are so crazy about patents by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    if only i could patent the first post, but another anonymous coward would probably claim prior art.

  3. Re:SGML? by afd8856 · · Score: 5, Funny

    On slashdot, only the anonymous coward reads the article. Us, cowboys, will head straight to the arena for a quick round of trolling and fighting.

    --
    I'll do the stupid thing first and then you shy people follow...