Re: [Cdn-DMCA] [CPI-UA]: FW: [Random-bits] BT hypertext linking patent (fwd)

From: Michael Richardson <mcr _-at-_ sandelman.ottawa.on.ca>
To: No DMCA in Canada <canada-dmca-opponents (at) flora.org>
Date: Sat, 09 Feb 2002 19:16:26 -0500

>>>>> "Russell" == Russell McOrmond <russell@flora.ca> writes:
    Russell> http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,50283,00.html

    Russell> Linking Patent Goes to Court
    Russell> Reuters

    Russell> Feb. 7, 2002 PST

    Russell>  Imagine if one company held the right to collect a fee each time an
    Russell> Internet user clicked on a website link and jumped to another Web page.

  There are two problems with the patent. It has to be older than the Xerox
STAR system (which had a form of hyperlink). As such, it is older than 17
years old. 
  They are bright enough to go after ISPs. And they didn't go after the
richest of them (they hit Prodigy rather than AOL). Ironically, the Prodigy
system may in fact have prior art in their own old mainframe based
conferencing system. 
  The problem is that the definition of an ISP is not clear. So, there will 
huge amount of civil disobedience on this. 

  The real question is whether they can get DMCA and/or SSSCA provisions to
help defend their patent.

]       ON HUMILITY: to err is human. To moo, bovine.           |  firewalls  [
]   Michael Richardson, Sandelman Software Works, Ottawa, ON    |net architect[
] mcr@sandelman.ottawa.on.ca http://www.sandelman.ottawa.on.ca/ |device driver[
] panic("Just another NetBSD/notebook using, kernel hacking, security guy");  [
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