[OT] Another *new* idea patented

[Bill Moseley <mo...@hank.org>]

I know this is way off topic, but I couldn't resist.  Sorry if this is old
news.

First Amazon figures out that cookies could be used for, (who would have
guessed?), maintaining state between sessions and patenting the concept.
What a new idea!

Now looking at eBay and I see that they have invented this thing called
"thumbnails" that are miniature photos that you can, get this, click with
your mouse!  Not only that, they have figured out a way to transfer images
from one computer to another via HTTP!  Another brilliant invention that
needs a patent.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/basics/g-gallery.html

 "Gallery

 Our patent pending Gallery () is a new way of browsing items
 for sale at eBay. The Gallery presents miniature pictures, called
 thumbnails, for all of the items sellers have supplied pictures for
 in JPG format....."

US Patent 6,058,417 http://164.195.100.11/netahtml/srchnum.htm

Can Randal still give his "Mod_perl Enabled Thumbnail Picture Server" talk? 


BTW -- For fun go to Ebay and do a search for any auction, then look
closely at the HTTP headers IIS is spitting out when requesting any of
their auctions.  You can imagine the fun in trying to explain (over three
emails now) the problem to their customer support.



Bill Moseley
mailto:moseley@hank.org

Re: [OT] Another *new* idea patented

[sp...@vancouver.yi.org]

On Sat, 18 Nov 2000, Bill Moseley wrote:

> I know this is way off topic, but I couldn't resist.  Sorry if this is old
> news.
> 
> First Amazon figures out that cookies could be used for, (who would have
> guessed?), maintaining state between sessions and patenting the concept.
> What a new idea!
> 
> Now looking at eBay and I see that they have invented this thing called
> "thumbnails" that are miniature photos that you can, get this, click with
> your mouse!  Not only that, they have figured out a way to transfer images
> from one computer to another via HTTP!  Another brilliant invention that
> needs a patent.
> 
> http://pages.ebay.com/help/basics/g-gallery.html
> 
>  "Gallery
> 
>  Our patent pending Gallery () is a new way of browsing items
>  for sale at eBay. The Gallery presents miniature pictures, called
>  thumbnails, for all of the items sellers have supplied pictures for
>  in JPG format....."


NEVER UNDERESTIMATE POWER OF A LARGE GROUP OF STUPID PEOPLE.