Company Claims Patent Over XML 421
Aviran Mordo writes "News.com reports that a small software developer plans to seek royalties from companies that use XML, the latest example of patent claims embroiling the tech industry. Charlotte, N.C-based Scientigo owns two patents (No. 5,842,213 and No. 6,393,426) covering the transfer of 'data in neutral forms.' These patents, one of which was applied for in 1997, are infringed upon by the data-formatting standard XML, Scientigo executives assert."
Patenting Patents (Score:5, Funny)
No wonder you guys are so crazy about patents (Score:5, Funny)
Ahh, but I recently patented "Data" (Score:2, Funny)
I've got a great idea: (Score:4, Funny)
Can I use PayPal for payment? (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Patenting Patents (Score:5, Funny)
The response this deserves (Score:5, Funny)
<bite attr="me"/>
Thank God (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Patenting Patents (Score:5, Funny)
As an online discussion about patents grows longer, the probability someone saying "I'll just patent the patent process" approaches 1.
Well, they still need dreamweaver... (Score:4, Funny)
SCO investing (Score:2, Funny)
Prior Art: 1960 (Score:3, Funny)
Since XML is just LISP S-expressions made ugly, there's your prior art.
I guess they could try to patent ugliness...
Re:SGML? (Score:5, Funny)
But the silver lining.. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Invalid Claim (Score:5, Funny)
Dude, I've totally got prior art there.
Re:Patenting Patents (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Prior Art: 1960 (Score:5, Funny)
I guess they could try to patent ugliness...
No good; there's prior art. [perl.org]
(ducks)
Time for the mob... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:But the silver lining.. (Score:3, Funny)
Then damn it all, everyone on slashdot in their IANAL garb squashed it.
Scientigo's Business Plan... (Score:2, Funny)
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<businessPlan>
<items>
<item id="1">get troll patent</item>
<item id="2">make frivolous claim</item>
<item id="3">???</item>
<item id="4">profit!!!</item>
</items>
</businessPlan>
Re:Looooosers. (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Patenting Patents (Score:2, Funny)
Don't quote regulations to me, I was on the commitee of the board to discuss the colour of the book the regulations were in! We kept it grey.
Re:Whitespace (Score:3, Funny)
You forgot to:
first!How abstract can a patent be? (Score:5, Funny)
From patent #5,842,213:
After re-reading that a few times, I think I've figured out that it's basically saying that this isn't an invention, it's a philosophy. This is so fscking general it could be equally validly applied to hypermedia, or frame logic, or tuple spaces, or any of the thousands of schema-less data representation models out there.
Really, the whole patent begs the following three obvious questions:
Re:Looooosers. (Score:5, Funny)
'data in neutral forms' (Score:3, Funny)
I own patents on ASCII, duh, hand over your money, NOW!!!
BTW, you all still own me royalty on my patents on 'Respiration', the process of converting oxygen to energy. I will withdraw my pending lawsuit on the entire mankind, only if the reasonable royalty of 'dollar-per-breath' is paid, or 5-for-$3.99.
Re:How about gaseous molecules in neutral form (Score:3, Funny)
"Air 1.2 - Now with 0.032859% More Wow Factor"
I hear XML is like violence... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:One word - EDIFACT (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Two words (Score:1, Funny)
Re:How about gaseous molecules in neutral form (Score:3, Funny)
>>> Methane -
I'll patent air with Methane > 5%
Anyone who produces this will owe me an ass-load of money.
Re:How about gaseous molecules in neutral form (Score:3, Funny)
Only *neutral* data forms? (Score:2, Funny)
But don't take my word for it--IANAL.
Patents and Ethics (Score:2, Funny)
Re:One word - EDIFACT (Score:2, Funny)
Seriously, those lack structure AND heirarchy!