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Blackboard Patenting Educational Groupware 223

Posted by CmdrTaco on Wednesday August 02, 2006 @08:36AM from the well-now-isn't-that-special dept.

chizz writes "Online learning provider Blackboard announced the other day that it has patented the Learning Management System (LMS). The very same day it went after Desire2Learn for Patent infringement in a truly Salt Lake City kinda way. A great many educators are a bit shook up by this, and are stockpiling prior art all over the place. "

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Blackboard Patenting Educational Groupware

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Salt Lake City kinda way? (Score:4, Funny)

by ToxikFetus ( 925966 ) writes: on Wednesday August 02, 2006 @08:55AM (#15831052)

I'm confused. What is "a truly Salt Lake City kinda way?" Patent Polygamy? A beatdown from The Mormon Stick of Justice(TM)? Eating 6 saltines in a minute?

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Not a Salt Lake City thing (Score:3, Funny)

by hotspotbloc ( 767418 ) writes: on Wednesday August 02, 2006 @08:59AM (#15831073) Homepage Journal

Hey, there's lots a reasons to jab at SLC but not because a company not based in Utah (but in Washington DC and Phoenix) filed a lawsuit in a Federal Court that just happens to be in that city. Now if you want to complain about the hookers on State and 400 South, well ...

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Too early... (Score:3, Funny)

by Lord_Slepnir ( 585350 ) writes: on Wednesday August 02, 2006 @09:15AM (#15831158) Journal

I mis-read the title as "Blackbeard Patenting Educational Groupware" and thought that the pirate party had taken off a lot better than expected

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Re:A side note about the infringement lawsuit (Score:1, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Wednesday August 02, 2006 @09:25AM (#15831225)

You know, it's not REALLY necessary to start screeching about Bush regardless of the subject under discussion. They have many highly effective medications for OCD these days. You should look into them.

You might also want to look into what political party receives the bulk of the contributions from members of the MPAA and the RIAA. Hint: it starts with a D.

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Re:Not a Salt Lake City thing (Score:3, Funny)

by Asic Eng ( 193332 ) writes: on Wednesday August 02, 2006 @09:30AM (#15831284)

Now if you want to complain about the hookers on State and 400 South, well ...
What's wrong with them? Bad service?

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Oh the irony... (Score:3, Funny)

by Bazman ( 4849 ) writes: on Wednesday August 02, 2006 @09:32AM (#15831308) Journal

From the article's listing of the summary of the patent:

"For example, a lawyer may create a course in patent law online..."

I think the lawyer will have to learn patent law before he can be sure he can do this...

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Re:Stockpiling prior art? (Score:3, Funny)

by ObsessiveMathsFreak ( 773371 ) writes: <obsessivemathsfreak AT eircom DOT net> on Wednesday August 02, 2006 @10:21AM (#15831746) Homepage Journal

Why should Desire2Learn have to suffer because the USPO is a bunch of idiots?

Because without patents no one would innovate!!

Won't someone please think of the little guy inventors!!!

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Re:There are no good software patents (Score:3, Funny)

by Elektroschock ( 659467 ) writes: on Wednesday August 02, 2006 @06:19PM (#15835539)

Who stands up for the small-to-medium IT firms?

Stop whining. Why not donate to FFII [ffii.org]?

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