Sein - Slashdot User

Submission + - Microsoft looses patent fight for Word

Submitted by EMB Numbers on Wednesday August 12, 2009 @04:17AM

EMB Numbers writes: Microsoft infringed U.S. Patent No. 5,787,499 on "document architecture and content."

Judge upholds $200,000,000 Verdict, adds $40 million for willful infringement, $37 million in interest, and $144,060 per day until the date of final judgment. Most importantly... Judge's injunction prohibits Microsoft from selling some Microsoft Word products.

Story: http://sev.prnewswire.com/banking-financial-services/20090811/DA6039911082009-1.html

Will Microsoft change sides in the software patent battle of mutually assured destruction?

Submission + - IBM Patent Fox a Step Closer to USPTO Hen House

Submitted by

theodp

on Wednesday August 12, 2009 @01:46AM

theodp writes: "With no notice to the public, and after the Senate was reported to have adjourned for their August recess, a U.S. Senate panel confirmed the nomination of IBM's David Kappos as the new Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. At an earlier hearing, Kappos ingratiated himself by pledging to strengthen enforcement efforts to crack down on counterfeiting and piracy of goods relying on intellectual property, like computer software, music and movies. The USPTO notes that 'Kappos managed IBM's patent and trademark portfolios — protecting and licensing intellectual property worldwide.' That would include this gem for a Method of indirect specification of user preferences, to which Kappos' name is attached, that the USPTO deemed patent-worthy after IBM argued that making users specify how much their persona was similar to IBM cartoon characters — 'Freddy Funlover', 'Granny Joe', 'Lisa Lerner', 'Marty Mover', 'Ricki Rebel', 'Sam Seeker', 'Sara Scout', 'Willie Wizard' (what, no 'Goofy Grape'?) — represented a significant technological leap over Microsoft Bob's use of 'dogs, teddy bears, snails, etc.' So how will the Senate top themselves after this one? Tap IBM CEO Sam Palmisano to be the next Secretary of Labor or IRS Commissioner?"

Submission + - Judge rules against RealDVD (wired.com)

Submitted by

mattOzan

on Wednesday August 12, 2009 @12:38AM

mattOzan writes: "Judge Marilyn Hall Patel was unswayed by RealNetwork's defense of their product under the Fair Use Doctrine, as she declared RealDVD illegal and barred its distribution. As she said in her ruling, "So while it may well be fair use for an individual consumer to store a backup copy of a personally owned DVD on that individual's computer, a federal law has nonetheless made it illegal to manufacture or traffic in a device or tool that permits a consumer to make such copies.""

Comment Re:Danes perspective (Score 2, Interesting) 657

by Sein on Saturday January 08, 2005 @05:01PM (#11299113) Attached to: Countries Plan Land Rush in Warming Arctic

We Norwegians would like you Danish land thieves to hand back Greenland and cease and desist with the silly claims about Leif and Erik.

I'm sure the Icelanders will be on my case in a second :)

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