Microsoft wants to patent the use of emoticons...

[kinzel]

Well...

I haven't seen the patent, but here's an article.

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/business/0,39020645,39210396,00.htm


Next I guess they'll patent use of a keyboard as an input device, or perhaps of switches for computers.

I am not pleased.

The book in progress will be done soon and the migration away from MS products continues.

Comments

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

I'm reading the patent, which is here:

http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220050156873%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20050156873&RS=DN/20050156873

They aren't trying to patent the use of emoticons. They're trying to patent a technique for transmitting arbitrary bitmaps in an efficient manner, so that users can create new emoticons on the fly without degrading throughput.

[kinzel.livejournal.com]

Sigh...

like we *need* more emoticons...

In any case, I am sorry to hear that they're doing this; I just know they'll drive more people out of business with it...