Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Amazon Patents Customized 404 Pages

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the makes-my-heart-hurt dept.

theodp writes "Among the patents awarded to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on Tuesday was one for his invention of Error Processing Methods for Providing Responsive Content to a User When a Page Load Error Occurs, which covers displaying alternate web pages in response to HTTP 404 page-not-found errors. So is this the technology that causes Amazon's Home Page to be displayed when Bezos' MIA Patent Reform Page can't be found?"

4 of 167 comments (clear)

  1. plinko 404 by miowpurr · · Score: 0, Redundant

    plinko (and everyone who uses it)will be in trouble... http://www.plinko.net/404/

  2. We need a lawyer to explain this by AmeerCB · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Can amazon really patent something that a prior invention already thought to implement? What I mean is, almost all web servers (apache, iis to name two big ones) allow for custom error messages. And amazon.com requires a web server to run.

    To me, this is like placing a patent on "using the emergency flashing lights on my car to signal for help." Someone already thought of this use of my emergency flashing lights, and that's why the lights were implemented. But no one thought to patent the actual process of using the lights to flag down a passing police car.

    I'm probably way off on this, so can someone tell me why I'm wrong?

  3. Patent system is broken... by darkcmd · · Score: 0, Redundant

    This is a prime example of why the United States patent system is broken. People can patent vague ideas such as custom error messages. I've seen custom 404 error pages for a long time.

  4. Abuse of the Patent system by Zombie+Ryushu · · Score: 0, Redundant

    You are missing the point. This is an abuse of the patent system, and this is the reason there is no rational reason for the existence of software patents. They are in effect, censorship.