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Home » General Discussions » Heated Discussions and Debates » Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?!
Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #164083] Sat, 23 July 2005 23:39 Go to next message
csskiller is currently offline  csskiller
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Colonel
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/business/0,39020645,39210396,00.htm

How low has Microsoft gone this time? Huh

Oh and for those who sorta want to try to stop it here is a petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/f5923j49/


When history witnesses a great change, Razgriz reveals itself,
First as a dark demon,
As a demon it uses its power to reign death upon the land;
and then it dies.

However, after a period of slumber, Razgriz returns.
This time as a great hero...

[Updated on: Sun, 24 July 2005 14:12]

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Re: Microsoft want to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #164091 is a reply to message #164083] Sun, 24 July 2005 02:11 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Drkpwn3r is currently offline  Drkpwn3r
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Ok, I must know -> What the hell, Microsoft. Tell Me

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[Updated on: Sun, 24 July 2005 02:18]

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Re: Microsoft want to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #164103 is a reply to message #164083] Sun, 24 July 2005 08:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jecht is currently offline  Jecht
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O M G. W T F?

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Re: Microsoft want to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #164109 is a reply to message #164083] Sun, 24 July 2005 10:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
glyde51 is currently offline  glyde51
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LOL

I saw this article just before I came here.

Smile

OMFG MICROSOFT WUD KILL MEEE?!?!?!


No. Seriously. No.
Re: Microsoft want to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #164112 is a reply to message #164083] Sun, 24 July 2005 12:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
mrpirate is currently offline  mrpirate
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Quote:

The patent, which was published by the US patent office on Thursday, covers selecting pixels to create an emoticon image, assigning a character sequence to these pixels and reconstructing the emoticon after transmission.


The patent is for the way smileys are sent. However, this patent is frightening.
Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #164331 is a reply to message #164083] Tue, 26 July 2005 17:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
MrBob is currently offline  MrBob
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Commander

This is nothing new.

http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/


God is the "0wnage". Plain and Simple.

Visit http://www.theoriginalmrbob.com

"If there's one freak to be, it's a Jesus freak"

All your base are belong to us.
Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #164338 is a reply to message #164083] Tue, 26 July 2005 18:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
warranto is currently offline  warranto
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Heh, considering how detailed you have to be in a patent, I wonder how the smiley/the way it's sent would be described.
Oh, and mrpirate, it has nothing to do with how they are sent, what they are trying for is this:

example: patent includes that the ";" character and the ")" character will combine in that order to create the Wink image when compiled after transmission.

example: patent includes that the ":" character and the "D" character will combine in that order to create the Very Happy image when compiled after transmission.

in the above examples the ";", ")", and ":", "D" characters will be patented in the order needed to create the";.)" and ":.D" sequence (this will also be patented) to create the final Wink and Very Happy after transmission (which will be patented as well)
Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #164353 is a reply to message #164083] Tue, 26 July 2005 21:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
mrpirate is currently offline  mrpirate
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Oh... colour me corrected.
Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #164356 is a reply to message #164083] Tue, 26 July 2005 21:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Doitle is currently offline  Doitle
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Who cares. They will do what they want. They can patent it and people will comply or not. There'll be people who don't obey it, send smileys like always. Microsoft can go after them or just not care. They are a company and they are doing what companys do. Try to make money. I bet they are just shaking and pulling all their hair out over that lame brain internet petition of 64 odd signatures of people using fake names and proclaiming that they show their emotion in the form of ascii characters.

http://www.n00bstories.com/image.fetch.php?id=1285726594
Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #164751 is a reply to message #164083] Fri, 29 July 2005 19:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Dave Mason is currently offline  Dave Mason
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Fot The Wuck?

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Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #165002 is a reply to message #164356] Mon, 01 August 2005 13:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Scythar is currently offline  Scythar
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It doesn't really affect the normal chatters on the Net anyway. It's the other companies who are going be owned because they can't use samekind of smilie system (AOL instant messenger etc etc).

There's a hole in the sky through which things can fly.
Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #166177 is a reply to message #164083] Fri, 12 August 2005 15:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
TEKNIK is currently offline  TEKNIK
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Wow, now that would reall suck for all those other companies. Maybe this petition is a good idea. I wish for AOL to stay up for a little longer before i leave them. They are going to start to charge for help calls.

- TEKNIK -
Forum E-Terrorist ~ Hijacking Threads Is What It's About!
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Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #166855 is a reply to message #166177] Fri, 19 August 2005 10:00 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Renerage is currently offline  Renerage
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AOL sucks.

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A pissed off noob Once said:
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Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #166924 is a reply to message #164083] Fri, 19 August 2005 17:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Chronojam is currently offline  Chronojam
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So all these other companies are jealous they didn't patent smilies first, and a bunch of asshats are screaming at Microsoft for what reason exactly? "NO PATENTING THINGS! IT IS SO UN-AMERICAN"
Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #166996 is a reply to message #166924] Sat, 20 August 2005 17:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
MrBob is currently offline  MrBob
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Chronojam wrote on Fri, 19 August 2005 20:40

So all these other companies are jealous they didn't patent smilies first, and a bunch of asshats are screaming at Microsoft for what reason exactly? "NO PATENTING THINGS! IT IS SO UN-AMERICAN"


Ever hear of prior art? If not, please look it up before you start spouting more of your ranting.


God is the "0wnage". Plain and Simple.

Visit http://www.theoriginalmrbob.com

"If there's one freak to be, it's a Jesus freak"

All your base are belong to us.
Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #167410 is a reply to message #164083] Tue, 23 August 2005 23:59 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Chronojam is currently offline  Chronojam
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If I make a stylized "peace" sign the symbol for my company, and then get a copyright on it, is that so unthinkable or impossible to have happen?
Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #167437 is a reply to message #164083] Wed, 24 August 2005 07:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
MrBob is currently offline  MrBob
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What point are you trying to make? A logo for a company would be registered as a trademark, not a copyright.

God is the "0wnage". Plain and Simple.

Visit http://www.theoriginalmrbob.com

"If there's one freak to be, it's a Jesus freak"

All your base are belong to us.
Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #167533 is a reply to message #164083] Wed, 24 August 2005 19:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Dr. Lithius
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Oh my god! Must. . .use. . .EmotIcons. . .before. . .Gates. . .kills. . .me. . .!!

Listen In Love Big Ups Big Grin Huh Rocked Over Tell Me In Love Dont Get It In Love

Ahhhh. . .that felt great! Okay, MicroSoft! DO EEEEET!!!

Seriously. If MicroSoft wants to somehow find a way to patent EmotIcons/Smilies(good luck beating America On-Line/Time Warner to it), then by all means. Let them. They're a waste of space, in my opinion. Particularly the ones with attached sound effects. God, those are particularly annoying. . .
Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #167569 is a reply to message #167533] Wed, 24 August 2005 22:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Renerage is currently offline  Renerage
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Now, they arent a waste of space.
Personally the only ones i would care to see to go are Sad and Smile and :'( because, when you think about it, when your on MSN, dont you use those the most?
Patenting these little pictures is extremely stupid and is only going to lead to riots/rants towards the idiots in charge.
So i say WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU MICROSOFT!!??!?!?!


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Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #167627 is a reply to message #164083] Thu, 25 August 2005 08:35 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Dave Mason is currently offline  Dave Mason
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It's called business. A business's aims are to maximise income. If you patent something you can sue your opposition not only giving you more money but a wider used product due to uniqueness.

You may not like it but it's the way it is.


www.myspace.com/midas
Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #167659 is a reply to message #167627] Thu, 25 August 2005 11:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Renerage is currently offline  Renerage
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DJM wrote on Thu, 25 August 2005 11:35

It's called business. A business's aims are to maximise income. If you patent something you can sue your opposition not only giving you more money but a wider used product due to uniqueness.

You may not like it but it's the way it is.


I know, but i still think its jank.


http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/9876/cheekaysig9xv.jpg

A pissed off noob Once said:
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Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #167733 is a reply to message #164083] Thu, 25 August 2005 15:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Dave Mason is currently offline  Dave Mason
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Jank? What? Is that the new "hip" term?

www.myspace.com/midas
Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #167851 is a reply to message #167733] Fri, 26 August 2005 14:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Renerage is currently offline  Renerage
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DJM wrote on Thu, 25 August 2005 18:41

Jank? What? Is that the new "hip" term?


I dont know, ive been using it for awhile now.
Jank means same as shit pretrty much.
Oh well, take it or leave it. lol i like it.


http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/9876/cheekaysig9xv.jpg

A pissed off noob Once said:
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Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #167911 is a reply to message #167410] Fri, 26 August 2005 22:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Chronojam is currently offline  Chronojam
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Chronojam wrote on Wed, 24 August 2005 02:59

If I make a stylized "peace" sign the symbol for my company, and then get a copyright on it, is that so unthinkable or impossible to have happen?


Suppose though this sign were special. I could put a little symbol down digitally, and a vastly distributed operating system would recognize it was my characters, and instead replace it with my logo for me. Let's go a step further and have it recognize my symbol as standing for both those characters, and my company.

Too far fetched?
Re: Microsoft wants to patent smilies! WTF?! [message #167959 is a reply to message #167911] Sat, 27 August 2005 07:44 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
MrBob is currently offline  MrBob
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Though replacing characters with something else like an image is common, let's say it was your original idea. Suppose you decided not to patent your idea and it was used commonly. Now, years later, someone else has patented your idea. That is the situation here.

Microsoft is taking advantage of the EU patent system. Though software patents aren't enforcable yet, this is just one example of the lunacy that will happen if they do. Take a look at some more absurd patents in the same database: http://webshop.ffii.org/.


God is the "0wnage". Plain and Simple.

Visit http://www.theoriginalmrbob.com

"If there's one freak to be, it's a Jesus freak"

All your base are belong to us.

[Updated on: Sat, 27 August 2005 07:45]

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