Microsoft is trying to patent automatic goodbye messages, including "Have a great afternoon!" and "Ciao, Harry!"
Last week, the Redmond software giant tossed an application at the US Patent Office that demands the exclusive rights to a tool that lets you "automatically send a goodbye message when ending a conversation" over IM and VoIP services.
When you close your IM client, for instance, the tool could instantly send mini-missives to all your buddies. And you'd have free reign to customize these messages.
"As an example, the facility may select a goodbye message based on the identity of the converser," the patent reads, in standard patent-speak. "As another example, the facility may select a goodbye message randomly. As another example, the facility may select a goodbye message based on other aspects of the conversation, such as time of day, length of conversation, mood indicated by the user, and so forth."
The patent even describes what the missives might look like. "Examples of such goodbye messages are: 'Have a great afternoon!', 'Sorry, I have got to go!', 'Have a terrific day!' and 'Ciao, Harry!'".
Last week, the Redmond software giant tossed an application at the US Patent Office that demands the exclusive rights to a tool that lets you "automatically send a goodbye message when ending a conversation" over IM and VoIP services.
When you close your IM client, for instance, the tool could instantly send mini-missives to all your buddies. And you'd have free reign to customize these messages.
"As an example, the facility may select a goodbye message based on the identity of the converser," the patent reads, in standard patent-speak. "As another example, the facility may select a goodbye message randomly. As another example, the facility may select a goodbye message based on other aspects of the conversation, such as time of day, length of conversation, mood indicated by the user, and so forth."
The patent even describes what the missives might look like. "Examples of such goodbye messages are: 'Have a great afternoon!', 'Sorry, I have got to go!', 'Have a terrific day!' and 'Ciao, Harry!'".
You could argue that IRC clients have offered this sort of thing for years, but that hasn't stopped Microsoft. With their new patent application, Ballmer and company hope to eliminate rudeness across the net.
"Ending a conversation without first sending an appropriate communication or other content can sometimes be misunderstood by a converser with whom a conversation is ended," the application continues. "As an example, a converser may be insulted when the user terminates a conversation without saying goodbye or may consider it to be rude to end a conversation abruptly without a communication that the conversation is ending."
News source: The Register
The sooner they get rid of software patents the better.
And some of these will get through and be approved.
At that point, it can take a court battle to determine validity, at great expense. If the battle can be made to draw out a long time, than he with the most money wins.
Ballmer! Protector of the innocent! Fighter of the.. internet meanies?
If no one has it in their software in this context, then it's perfectly valid. How can you argue with the validity of it?
Just because it may seem obvious [ now that Microsoft have pointed it out ], it doesn't invalidate the patent.
If no one has it in their software in this context, then it's perfectly valid. How can you argue with the validity of it?
Just because it may seem obvious [ now that Microsoft have pointed it out ], it doesn't invalidate the patent.
IRC has had quit messages for years; it's the same thing.
While I think this is a ludicrous thing to try to patent, to the patent system, this is a patentable idea. It doesn't matter if the general "process" has been used before, as long as this implementation hasn't been patented before. You can patent the same result with different methodology/medium, depending on the wording and scope of previous patents (in this case, I know of no previous patents).
While I think this is a ludicrous thing to try to patent, to the patent system, this is a patentable idea. It doesn't matter if the general "process" has been used before, as long as this implementation hasn't been patented before. You can patent the same result with different methodology/medium, depending on the wording and scope of previous patents (in this case, I know of no previous patents).
It's all the lawyers' fault!
IRC defaults to "send message to all recipients in group" == channel message
IM defaults to "send message to particular recipient" == private message. If IM sends to multiple recipients, then you're in a channel.
An IM conversation is exactly the same as a private invite only channel in IRC, hence prior art on quit messages.
George -
*rpgfan3233 (timestamp) says "Ciao, Harry!" and signs off.*
Nick -
*rpgfan3233 (timestamp) says and signs off.*
I also have an average of 15 friends signed on at any time that I'm signed on. What a horrible thing that would be to do to my friends... While I do agree it could be useful, from the text that I read, the concept could use a bit of reworking.
Those
romansUS Patent guys are stupidCommenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!
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