IBM Wants Patent For Lotus Notes-Free Meetings

theodp writes "Over at IBM, the Lotus Notes team has 'invented' preventing the use of their own product during meetings. Self-described patent reformer Big Blue has asked the USPTO for a patent covering Suppressing De-Focusing Activities During Selective Scheduled Meetings by forcing meeting attendees to 'submit to the computing system suspension requirements.' What's next — a patent for Verizon for blocking cellphone usage during movies?"

Comments

Grrrrr

[Spazholio]

"What's next - a patent for Verizon for blocking cellphone usage during movies?"

DON'T. GIVE THEM. IDEAS.

Re:Grrrrr

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

Don't worry, Verizon would charge at least $5.99 a month for the "Vblock Premium Network Experience".

You might have to talk to a supervisor two or three times a billing cycle to keep it off your account; but they wouldn't actually provide a service, even a worse than useless one, without being overpaid for it.

Re:Grrrrr

[Anonymous Coward]

DON'T. GIVE THEM. IDEAS.

It's not them you need to worry about...

In other news, Microsoft has patented the process of buying products from companies that aren't Microsoft. So now, if you buy a Microsoft product you will pay them some money, and if you buy someone else's product you will still have to pay them some money because of their patent. Industry analysts say they haven't noticed any difference from the status quo.

Mean while

[EEPROMS]

3M Patents sticky notes for use when lotus notes has been restricted... :-P

They have a chronic and terminal disease

[Ralph Spoilsport]

called "cranio-rectal inversion".

Lotus Notes:

[phillymjs]

The only winning move is not to play.

~Philly

Re:What is IBM trying to do?

[Ashriel]

I'm guessing that they're trying to reform patent law by coming up with such ridiculous patents that the patent office can no longer take itself seriously, if indeed it still does.

Either that, or they have some seriously messed-up people in charge over there - c'mon, patenting non-use of software? Am I the only person who laughed at this article? Never even mind the patent summary itself, which keeps referring to the act of not using Lotus Notes as an "invention".

I think I'm going to go out and patent not using my personal computer between the hours of 6 pm and 10 pm EST. That way everyone else has to pay me for not using my PC during that timeframe.

Re:Sounds new to me

[retchdog]

The good posts always come when I don't have mod points. Slashdot would be a much better place, if the phrase "My mocking something does not necessarily mean that I support the government suppressing it," were half as popular as that damned Franklin quote about security and liberty.

job security

[vandelais]

Do nothing. Schedule meetings all day. Prevents termination by Lotus Notes. Works for middle management!