Slashdot Mirror
Online Rich Media Patented
An anonymous reader writes "Balthasar has been awarded a patent on "Methods, systems, and processes for the design and creation of rich-media applications via the internet" ( USPO 7,000,180). In an article at news.com the company claims that "The patent covers all rich-media technology implementations including Flash, Flex, Java, AJAX and XAML and all device footprints which access rich-media Internet applications including desktops, mobile devices, set-top boxes and video game consoles". The patent was filed on 9 February 2001, five years after the original Flash application, FutureWave Splash, was introduced in May 1996."
Also the patent office needs to be held accountable for it's mistakes, like, for instance, paying for anyone who has to fight a bogus patent. Maybe then they'd take due care?
What would be easiest would be to invalidate now, and forever, any software patents. That would get rid of most of the bad patents in one swoop.
-- oldthinkers unbellyfeel ingsoc
Not only prior art is a prooblem, a patent should also be on obvious for people in teh field. I am always amazed how it seems that by adding "on the internet" or "with a computer" tends to turn almost everything into something completely non obvious. Oh well.
I've said it once and I'll say it again; the only thing that will deterr this kind of rubbish from sabotaging the computer industry is criminal convictions and jail time.
I would start my persuing the patent examiners. They are either criminally negligent in allowing this kind of idiocy to get through and/or they have been taking bribes. Either way I don't think jail time is out of the question.
You could work it up to the patent office management eventually, possibly even the company who filed in extremeous, but at the end of the day, the people who rubber stamped the patent have to be held accountable, otherwise this will just get worse.
A pushy manager and quotas are no excuse. The accountants who fudged the books for Enron at the behest of the boss are guilty too. If you have a problem with it, leave the job. That might sound harsh, but just think of all the jobs and potential jobs that have been flushed down the toilet by ridiculous patents like this one.
Someone has to be made accountable for this!
May the Maths Be with you!
When balthasar came out it was a pretty big thing for a short bit, you could generate 'rich-media' (read flash movie) online without having to buy a flash authoring license. it was a bit limited as a service, and I don't remember whether or not the end result had to be hosted on their server for an additional fee...
the patent in this case is specifically for the creation of rich media work over an internet connection.
whether or not anyone challenges this will have a lot to do with whether or not balthasar's income make it look attractive. anyone know how balthasar is doing at the moment?
-- it's ridiculous how many people misspell ridiculous... (damn, damn, damn...)
No software patents
I used to think this was a rather extremist site at first, but it's actually a lot more down to Earth than I thought.
On a more relevant note, how can one patent cover all "media-rick" content on the internet? Why not just throw in pictures and text in there too?
Partial Credit: The Engineer's Best friend
"Well, the bridge didn't fall all the way down!"
...you left out one final critical fact: Lawyers and judges (who are typically ex-lawyers or still lawyers) control this entire process. The system is rigged. In the most obvious and transparent way. However it is so well rigged that there isn't a hope in hell of changing it.
I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.