Active Users:445 Time:04/04/2025 10:10:18 PM
Re: Does M$ have U2 and Steves permission to use their names in that patent application? dart_board Send a noteboard - 10/01/2011 09:54:50 PM
Important issues ... the trouble with decade long important issues is it's usually the side with the deepest pockets that win out. Who can line up more copious amounts of bs for the longest and squawk it the loudest.

Ultimately it's still a constitutional republic though; if we all do our homework wiser heads will prevail, and if not the failing is ours as much as anyones.


Did you happen to see that Microsoft has applied for a patent "for being a fan." Yeah, so soon the decade long argument for all sport fans will be "Why do I need to pay Microsoft for being a Colts fan ?"

Frankly, I hope you're joking. Again I say, I don't trust Big Brother OR Big Business, and thus prefer to play them off against each other, since no single private citizen can overcome the resources and organization of either. Our best bet seems to be using what influence each of us has with both, combined with their natural distrust of each other, to play both ends against the middle (as they routinely do with us; the left says you can't trust private industry and the right says you can't trust the government, but while neither of them is really wrong, they aren't exactly "right" either. ;))


Actually I am not kidding. http://techflash.com/seattle/2011/01/microsoft-applies-for-patent-on-being.html

Yup .. clicking that "like" button or being a "fan" .. any one way relationship really ... will lead to royalties being paid to micro$oft FFS. Evilness.

If they're just trying to patent an app people click to become a fan online that's a little different, but I suspect the various people (and companies) already using those apps will dispute their right to the patent. Of course, if you've got Bill Gates money it may not matter, but I understood the Patent Office took a dim view of trying to patent things already in use, especially by others.


Pfft .. the patent office is broken. Has been for a long time. Nothing they approve surprises me at all, although they rarely fail to disappoint. i.e. ... they approved a patent by a child for swinging backwards on a swing.
It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived. ~George S. Patton
Reply to message
Child Psychology: Are Todays Parents Mental? - 06/01/2011 11:21:53 PM 1201 Views
Fuck. *NM* - 06/01/2011 11:29:00 PM 221 Views
? - 06/01/2011 11:35:26 PM 754 Views
... *NM* - 06/01/2011 11:47:19 PM 296 Views
Re: ... - 07/01/2011 12:35:04 AM 674 Views
I find this interesting on two levels: - 06/01/2011 11:33:31 PM 725 Views
As one of today's mental parents... - 07/01/2011 12:01:36 AM 845 Views
Agreed. - 07/01/2011 12:34:18 AM 790 Views
Re: Agreed. - 07/01/2011 03:04:53 PM 750 Views
Very interesting article, thanks for posting. - 07/01/2011 01:36:51 AM 788 Views
Not surprising. - 07/01/2011 01:52:57 PM 720 Views
Re: Not surprising. - 07/01/2011 02:21:55 PM 742 Views
Yeah, Macharius pretty well covered it. - 07/01/2011 06:34:13 PM 705 Views
meh - 07/01/2011 02:34:47 PM 701 Views
I disagree; even to the extent that's the real problem it's still down to indulgent parents. - 07/01/2011 04:52:26 PM 775 Views
exterem paretnal involment is being overstated - 08/01/2011 03:10:09 AM 702 Views
It's extreme indulgence, not involvement. - 08/01/2011 03:44:43 AM 727 Views
"Kids need to feel badly sometimes"? What should we do? Dip their fingers in acid? - 07/01/2011 03:00:17 PM 630 Views
This. - 07/01/2011 06:10:30 PM 584 Views
I would classify editing the N-word out of Huckleberry Finn to apply to this issue... - 07/01/2011 11:26:05 PM 665 Views
"Undiplomatic" is one thing, "inflammatory" quite another. - 07/01/2011 11:51:03 PM 588 Views
Re: "Undiplomatic" is one thing, "inflammatory" quite another. - 09/01/2011 12:20:47 AM 709 Views
If the stakes are small or there's no alternative I don't mind going with your gut. - 09/01/2011 01:20:42 AM 665 Views
Re: If the stakes are small or there's no alternative I don't mind going with your gut. - 09/01/2011 01:28:28 AM 606 Views
Sadly so. - 09/01/2011 01:32:23 AM 605 Views
Re: Sadly so. - 09/01/2011 01:41:39 AM 552 Views
Hadn't seen that, no. - 09/01/2011 11:21:20 PM 699 Views
Re: Hadn't seen that, no. - 10/01/2011 04:59:53 PM 734 Views
Does M$ have U2 and Steves permission to use their names in that patent application? - 10/01/2011 07:46:54 PM 676 Views
Re: Does M$ have U2 and Steves permission to use their names in that patent application? - 10/01/2011 09:54:50 PM 689 Views
We need public oversight desperately. - 10/01/2011 11:10:55 PM 666 Views
. *NM* - 09/01/2011 12:43:38 PM 336 Views
Re: . - 09/01/2011 10:40:00 PM 637 Views
well your reply shows us what we end up with if we have over indulgent parnets - 10/01/2011 04:08:38 PM 652 Views
It's a good article, but contains a bit of oversimplification. - 11/01/2011 09:36:35 PM 649 Views
Actually, I tend to agree, 'cos I somewhat agree with rt it diagnoses symptoms better than problems - 11/01/2011 11:53:48 PM 844 Views
Re: Actually, I tend to agree - 15/01/2011 08:04:58 PM 679 Views
Re: Actually, I tend to agree - 15/01/2011 11:30:08 PM 663 Views

Reply to Message