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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Guys, I’ve said this before.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>DO NOT POST PATENTS ON THIS MAILING LIST.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>AVOID LOOKING AT THEM IF POSSIBLE.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Everyone who looks at them is now liable for wilful infringement
if they submit code around that area after looking at it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Adam<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> opensim-dev-bounces@lists.berlios.de
[mailto:opensim-dev-bounces@lists.berlios.de] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Mark Malewski<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, 3 February 2010 1:09 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> opensim-dev@lists.berlios.de<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Opensim-dev] personal plea on patents<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>What exactly is going on?<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Did someone apply for a patent? Are ANY patents
pending? If so, please let us know what patents are currently pending, so
we can at least look them over and contest them.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>I've had virtual worlds running since 1991, with 3D shopping
malls, online e-commerce, etc. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>I'd really like to see if anyone is currently attempting to
put a patent through, so we can at least work on contesting/disputing the
validity of any pending patents. Software patents are a bad idea, and it
really hurts the creativity/innovation and development of 3D platforms.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>If anyone is aware of ANY pending patents, please let me
know and please post the pending patent numbers to this forum. I'd be
interested in working with legal counsel to dispute the validity of any pending
patents, or at least begin work on shooting the patents down before they are
approved. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>It's much easier to shoot them down (before they get
approved), so please post any information that you may have about any pending
patents.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Are you referring to the patent that was filed by IBM?<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20090300582.pdf">http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20090300582.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Is this the patent we are talking about?<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>There are only THREE types of patents (Design, Utility, and
Plant). I'm assuming that we're talking about "Design" patents,
and in order for a patent to be "valid" it must be a NEW, or ORIGINAL
idea. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><b><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Design patents</span></b></span><span
class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> may
be granted to anyone who invents a new, ORIGINAL, and ornamental design for an
article of manufacture; and</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>There is nothing new, and nothing original. If IBM is
looking to use the OpenSim Infrastructure as a basis for their patent, or even
attempting to claim that the things we discuss (or implement/plan/roll
out/develop) are part of IBM's "design" then it's certainly not new,
or original.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>I doubt that the patent application is valid, and I'll need
to skim over their patent application, and see if we need to work on appealing
the patent application.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Companies attempt to file patents (on other people's ideas)
simply as a way to make money (by litigation) in hopes to stifle innovation,
development, creativity and an attempt to kill off any competition. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>As far as IBM's patent idea, it doesn't hold any water.
It's not new, and it's not original. I'd developed platforms
identical to that as early as 1991. I'd been doing synchronization of
offline 3D virtual content for 3D shoppings malls since 1991 and developed a
platform for the U.S. Army's Battlefield Visualization program using
synchronization of offline content (for 3D Battlefield Visualization) as early
as 1994.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Even civilian projects like Active Worlds had been doing
that (as part of their browser cache) as early as 1995/1996 (about 5+ years
after work that I had done).<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>So I hardly believe that IBM's silly patent application
really holds much water. I'm willing to file an opposition to IBM's
patent, if there are any other pending patent applications out there, then
please let me know. I'd be more than happy to help "nip" this
in the butt before some silly greedy business manager (or company) attempts to
try and file a patent and kill off the creativity, innovation, and development
of 3D platforms. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>James, I completely agree with your post, and we really do
need to work on contesting this patent (if we're referring to the pending IBM
patent). Prior art and prior work is there. There is nothing new or
unique in IBM's pending patent application (if that is what this whole
discussion is about). If there are ANY pending patents out there, please
post the patent application numbers here in this forum, and we'll begin to
address the issues (legally).<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>I'd rather bring this silly patent nonsense to an end now, before
this gets out of hand. Looks like IBM is attempting to do a "smash
and grab" by filling out a silly patent application to try and hinder
widespread use, or development of advanced 3D platform.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>It seems that managers ride on the coat tails of others and
then attempt to go for the "get rich quick by grabbing the IP
quicker" routine. This is nothing but hogwash, and it's really sad
to see companies (and individuals) that stoop to this kind of level.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>
Mark<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>On Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 2:05 PM, James Stallings II <<a
href="mailto:james.stallings@gmail.com">james.stallings@gmail.com</a>>
wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Some history may be in order here; I wont drag you through
each and every phase of virtual world development, but I can tell you that
googling 'virtual worlds' turns up prior art for almost everything we do (or
will do) with opensim, dating back to the late 1970s.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>It may not be widely known by either the patent office (do
they even research such things anymore?), or the 'get rich quick by grabbing
the IP quicker' set, but the prior art is there.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>Cheers<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>James<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal>On Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 1:42 PM, Robert A. Knop Jr. <<a
href="mailto:rknop@pobox.com" target="_blank">rknop@pobox.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal>On Wed, Feb 03, 2010 at 12:23:40PM -0700, Frank Nichols wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Ultimately, we need to kill
software patents for once and for all.<br>
Alas, chances of that happening soon are slim, so everybody has to be<br>
aware of the existence of them.<br>
<span style='color:#888888'><br>
--<br>
--Rob Knop<br>
E-mail: <a href="mailto:rknop@pobox.com" target="_blank">rknop@pobox.com</a><br>
Home Page: <a href="http://www.pobox.com/~rknop/" target="_blank">http://www.pobox.com/~rknop/</a><br>
Blog: <a href="http://www.sonic.net/~rknop/blog/"
target="_blank">http://www.sonic.net/~rknop/blog/</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<br>
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<br clear=all>
<br>
-- <br>
===================================<br>
<a href="http://osgrid.org" target="_blank">http://osgrid.org</a><br>
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