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Microsoft Deems Emotiflags Patent-Worthy
theodp writes "Microsoft said you could count on them to improve patent quality. For an example of how they're raising the bar on innovation, check out this just-published patent application for Emotiflags, which Microsoft explains solves the problem of indicating an emotion associated with an email message. At the risk of infringing on the patent, this one Makes Me Mad!"
They're going to have to fight Despair, Inc for the frowny-face emoticon.
The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
Microsoft patents stupidity. World governments cringe in terror!
"To those who are overly cautious, everything is impossible. "
This is so great, innovative, and quite amazing, it solves a common problem of not understanding the sarcastic tone of say... a post!
I was wrong._ prior_to_invention
It was maybe 1972.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emoticons#Background
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:-( That is all I have to say about this news.
It's not a case of "should", we all know the patent office thinks any patent with the word "computer" in it is novel and deserves the filing fee.
eg. A quality Microsoft patent Another quality Microsoft patent
No sig today...
They're patenting something that involves the association of emoticons with iconic images, also involving mechanisms like X-Face. It's still not new, it's still not their idea, it still shouldn't get granted, but if you're going to cite prior art, cite the right one.