Microsoft to patent "using a mouse"

bulliver · 05-21-2004, 02:38 PM

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-P...S=PN/6,727,830

Glad I know the CLI...

Crito · 05-21-2004, 02:56 PM

The mouse was invented by Douglas Engelbart and he received patent US3541541 for it on November 17, 1970. The ball mouse was invented by Bill English while he was working for Xerox, which also happens to be where Bill Gates first saw one used with a GUI and stole the idea for Windows.

witeshark · 05-21-2004, 03:57 PM

Citro: so eloquently put

watashiwaotaku7 · 05-21-2004, 06:42 PM

if your read it it tells you that they are not trying to patent a mouse at all, they are patenting the idea that a button on something like a palm pilot can be used not just for one function but based on the amount of time pressed several, basically like pressing it launches a shell, holding it for a second or longer launches a shell with root privileges or something like that, really nothing to do with a mouse but still a pretty universal idea

XavierP · 05-22-2004, 04:21 AM

I would have thought that 'prior art' pretty much covers all of that patent.

Unfortunately, it is relatively easy to patent something in the US and the cost of challenging a patent (especially is you are challenging MS) is prohibitive. Sadly, they will probably get this.

bulliver · 05-22-2004, 06:43 AM

Quote:

I would have thought that 'prior art' pretty much covers all of that patent.

Exactly, we've all been using a mouse for a while now...it doesn't matter how you click it, it's still a mouse.

I'm sorry if people didn't get the humour in the title of my post, but that's what it is, it's not to be taken literally... or is it?

XavierP · 05-22-2004, 07:16 AM

"it's funny 'cos it's true" - Homer

SciYro · 05-22-2004, 08:15 AM

this is funny?

i find it pretty sad, like most things these days

(you people in Europe better not allow software patents like the ones in the US ... or M$ might come knocking at your door)

Chris H · 05-22-2004, 08:36 AM

Too late SciYro, the foots in the door and the hinge rivets are popping as we type....

drigz · 05-22-2004, 01:50 PM

i heard that someone managed to patent a method of killing all known bugs by wording it with excessive eloquence. their essential idea was smashing it with a rock.