This went abandoned several years ago (failure to properly respond to a Final Office Action). If only God used his infinite powers to make persuasive arguments.

Frankly, I'm dissapointed that the PTO took his money. He clearly needs psychological help, and even small entity fees add up.

I am not sure this list is real. I couldn't find anything on NASA's website about it, and the Science and Entertainment Exchange say they were not involved: http://blog.scienceandentertainmentexchange.org/2011/01/note-to-our-web-visitors-london-sunday.html

They must be suing for past damages, as unless there is some adjustment/extension for delays at the PTO, that patent is now expired.

Don't know why the Discovery article links to the published application, but here is a link to the actual issued patent: 7,631,404

http://www.copyright.gov/1201/

Your rock concert load-in is a great example. I worked as a stagehand for several years (still hold an active union membership) and I know precisely what you're talking about. Five hands who know what they're doing are so much better, and safer, than 15 who don't. I don't really have anything to add, just wanted to say that from experience I found your example interesting and apt.

$ cat /etc/slackware-version

Gastrointestinal.

Are these some examples of ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE? My favorite!

To me my laptop is a computer with wireless. It isn't to the vast majority of consumers, to them it's a chat/email device (occasionally a phone), PDA and content delivery platform (music and video).

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2680/4406738473_f7949d8a7f_o.jpg

I'm guessing you're a troll, but I do this. Well not exactly, you don't need to convert anything.

Open a youtube video, let it buffer, go into /tmp and there's the file. Just do "mplayer file" and watch it. I do this because the flash player crashed a lot (x86_64 Linux) and mplayer is smoother.

This is a dream Slashdot thread - your car analogies won't have to be analogies at all! They can be completely literal!