MSN Patent

[richtestani]

This is just a rant about their little patent win.

First, why can this even be patented? This means they can excercise their muscle and tell any IM client they cannot invoke this feature!

How silly. I don't think features like this should be patented or allowed to be.

Now someone will patent the feature of showing who is online. If it hasn't been patented. This patent game is getting rediculous, especially for technology. Everyone is suing each other for the the right that they invented some technology.

Shouldn't they patent based on how something was went about? I am sure there are different ways to achieve the same result, why not base it on the method?

AOL has the patent on IM technology as a whole. So, if they own this patent, isn't MS patent almost useless? If AOL decides to bully the IM market, any IM related patent will cease to have value. MS can tell AOL they cannot use the feature in their product but what does this achieve. If everyone has little patent for a little feature this only hurts everyone, cause everyone will tell the other they cannot add that feature and you end up with second rate software.

Overall pantents limit technology and growth. I wish these corps would open up a little for the industry and not for their wallet.