Poster
06-03-2004, 03:50 PM
Microsoft has been granted a patent for “double clicks”, short, and long clicks. Any company using software that uses the same button with this clicking style will have to change their product, pay licensing fees to Microsoft or give Microsoft access to its intellectual property in return.
"It is almost beyond parody that Microsoft has been able to do this," says Ian Brown of the Foundation for Information Policy Research in London, UK.
However, the controversial patent might end up being settled in court. US Patent Office spokesperson Brigid Quinn says: "A US applicant shouldn't have been given a patent unless they have evidence that it is new and obvious. If someone can submit prior art, we will re-examine the patent."
For more information see: http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99995072
"It is almost beyond parody that Microsoft has been able to do this," says Ian Brown of the Foundation for Information Policy Research in London, UK.
However, the controversial patent might end up being settled in court. US Patent Office spokesperson Brigid Quinn says: "A US applicant shouldn't have been given a patent unless they have evidence that it is new and obvious. If someone can submit prior art, we will re-examine the patent."
For more information see: http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99995072