Microsoft Lays Claim To Patent On 'Fans'

theodp writes "A USPTO filing made public Thursday reveals that Microsoft is seeking a patent for something it calls 'One-Way Public Relationships' in social networks and other online properties, lawyer-speak for what's more commonly known as being a 'fan' of something online. It's unclear whether it's a goof on Apple, but Microsoft curiously used the example of a U2 fan named Steve to explain its 'invention' to the USPTO. Purported patent reformer Microsoft, which has called for the US to change from a first-to-invent patent system to a first-to-file system, filed the patent application in July 2009. Microsoft is a partner with and investor in Facebook, which first established its fan pages back in November 2007."

Comments

If This Gets Rejected...

[Scarletdown]

If this patent gets rejected, will Microsoft and the Patent Office find themselves on each other's Freaks list?

Not a fan

[Andy Smith]

I really, really, really, from the bottom of my heart, with a stomach-churning sickness and bile rising in my throat, hate this trend of trivial and obvious technology patents. They all boil down to the same thing: "We saw someone else doing this, and we think it's a good idea, so we want to be the only people that are allowed to do it from now on."

Patent idea for microsoft

[xednieht]

"'One-Way Public Relationships' in social networks and other online properties, lawyer-speak for what's more commonly known as being a 'fan' "

Microsoft should patent assholes too, layman-speak for what's more commonly known as being a lawyer.

Enough is enough already: abolish the USPTO