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Yahoo Patents 'Smart' Drag and Drop

Posted by Zonk on from the will-wonders-never-cease dept.

Unequivocal writes "According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Yahoo has filed a patent for 'smart' drag and drop. From the article: 'A computer-implemented method for manipulating objects in a user interface, comprising: providing the user interface including a first interface object operable to be selected and moved within the user interface; and in response to selection and movement of the first interface object in the user interface, presenting at least one additional interface object in the user interface in proximity of the first interface object, each additional interface object representing a drop target with which the first interface object may be associated.' How do these patent claims differ from normal drag and drop? In pretty trivial ways if at all, but it may be hard for a patent examiner to understand that trivial changes in drag and drop user interface are not in fact novel enough to warrant a patent. If Yahoo gets this patent, they'll have a mighty big stick to shake at competitors."

7 of 128 comments (clear)

  1. No they won't by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 5, Funny

    If Yahoo gets this patent, they'll have a mighty big stick to shake at competitors."

    No they bloody well won't.

    I have the patent for shaking a stick at competitors.

    --
    liqbase :: faster than paper
    1. Re:No they won't by phobos13013 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Maybe so, but *I* hold the patent on misdirected links, soooo, as my team of lawyers race after you for my millions... we will just call it even!

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      ...and it should be known by now
  2. A way to fix all of this by PJ1216 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Patent Examiners should post ALL technology-related patents onto Slashdot and then just wait to see what WE have to say about it =P

    1. Re:A way to fix all of this by oneiros27 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Oh, like we don't get enough dupes currently...

      --
      Build it, and they will come^Hplain.
  3. The subsentence they forgot: by bytesex · · Score: 2, Funny

    'on the internet' !

    --
    Religion is what happens when nature strikes and groupthink goes wrong.
  4. Prior LucasArts by Kirth · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sounds like the interface of a LucasArts-adventure to me. If you pick up a banana the pointer changes and the environment reacts differently if you click on something.

    --
    "The more prohibitions there are, The poorer the people will be" -- Lao Tse
  5. Re:A large mug by Hognoxious · · Score: 2, Funny

    The headline says otherwise. Har, har, you read the article. LOLZ@U, N00B!!

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."