hultberg.org: LinkLog

Patent-busting contest

Boing boing tells us about EFF's coming patent-busting contest. Submit a stupid Internet patent to be examined.

Very good idea. I just submitted a patent myself, a patent by Oracle. Somehow Oracle has succeeded in patenting a database driven web site publishing system, using a web browser as an input device:

A web site creation and maintenance system permits distributed control and centralized management of a web site. The physical implementation of the web site resides on a database maintained by a database administrator. The web site system permits a site administrator to construct the overall structure, design and style of the web site. This allows for a comprehensive design as well as a common look and feel for the web site. The web site system permits content for the web site to originate from multiple content contributors. The publication of content is controlled by content owners. This permits assignment of content control to those persons familiar with the content. The web site system is also a self service web site system for content contributors, content owners, and site administrators. The self service system displays to users one or more panels that contain input fields to permit the users to submit content and web site components for publication on the web site. The user, through use of only a web browser running on the user computer, transmits the parameter to the web site database. In response, the web site is updated at the database in accordance with the parameter.

Sure, I am no patent expert (far from it), but to me that sounds exactly like a 1000 other systems that I know, several of which existed prior to the year 2000.

I have personally, way prior to the year 2000, participated in building and even built myself a number of such systems.

Today I own a company, Infogate, making most of its profit and paying the salary of ten people from building and implementing such systems. We have been doing so since 1996.

Actually, in publishing this very post I use such a system, from SixApart.

Should we stop? Don't think so.

Boing Boing: Kill a stupid Internet patent

P.S. I love the filename for the Boing Boing link. Very Dilbertesque. D.S.

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