AOL Patents Instant Messaging (IM)

~~David~~ · Jan 1, 2003, 05:59 PM

Media giant AOL Time Warner has quietly won a U.S. patent for instant messaging, a potential goldmine as the online activity rivals mobile phone text-messaging as the most popular new communication tool.

The patent, issued in September, grants AOL's instant messaging subsidiary ICQ broad ownership rights to the technology, which enables users to chat quickly and cheaply across the Internet.

The broad wording of the patent means AOL could get an important legal leg up on rivals Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo, the other players in the potentially lucrative instant messaging (IM) arena that have their own proprietary technologies.

Read the full evil AOL story HERE

Nathan · Jan 1, 2003, 09:30 PM

That's horrific.

Gurm · Jan 1, 2003, 09:35 PM

And unenforceable, thank GOD. This sort of thing gets overturned all the time. Retroactive patents on things that a dozen people are making... are seldom enforced.

nForcer · Jan 1, 2003, 11:09 PM

wow what a waste of paperwork

iCzMan · Jan 1, 2003, 11:33 PM

nightmare's coming....

jayjr · Jan 2, 2003, 01:11 PM

now i dont know alot about this type of thing, but could this have a negative impact on 3rd party messaging software? such as trillian?

JLP · Jan 2, 2003, 02:12 PM

These patents stuff is totally stupid. They do nothing but protect allready huge multinational corporations. What about protecting small inventors. The current form of patent rights is just stupid. they should better just close all this patent shit. It's doing nothing but hurting advancement of human race.

Jan 1, 2003, 05:59 PM	#1
~~David~~ Banned Join Date: May 2002 Location: Atlanta Posts: 959 Rep Power: 0	AOL Patents Instant Messaging (IM) Media giant AOL Time Warner has quietly won a U.S. patent for instant messaging, a potential goldmine as the online activity rivals mobile phone text-messaging as the most popular new communication tool. The patent, issued in September, grants AOL's instant messaging subsidiary ICQ broad ownership rights to the technology, which enables users to chat quickly and cheaply across the Internet. The broad wording of the patent means AOL could get an important legal leg up on rivals Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo, the other players in the potentially lucrative instant messaging (IM) arena that have their own proprietary technologies. Read the full evil AOL story HERE

Jan 1, 2003, 09:35 PM	#3
Gurm Hail to the King, Baby! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: This World AND The Next Posts: 193 Rep Power: 0	And unenforceable, thank GOD. This sort of thing gets overturned all the time. Retroactive patents on things that a dozen people are making... are seldom enforced. __________________ <Insert random "Army of Darkness" quote here...>

Jan 2, 2003, 02:12 PM	#7
JLP DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Slovenia Posts: 249 Rep Power: 0	Just stupid These patents stuff is totally stupid. They do nothing but protect allready huge multinational corporations. What about protecting small inventors. The current form of patent rights is just stupid. they should better just close all this patent shit. It's doing nothing but hurting advancement of human race.

Jan 1, 2003, 09:30 PM	#2
Nathan DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: I dunno Posts: 39 Rep Power: 0	That's horrific.

Jan 1, 2003, 11:09 PM	#4
nForcer Twice the fun! Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,404 Rep Power: 0	wow what a waste of paperwork

Jan 1, 2003, 11:33 PM	#5
iCzMan DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 39 Rep Power: 0	nightmare's coming....

Jan 2, 2003, 01:11 PM	#6
jayjr DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 7 Rep Power: 0	now i dont know alot about this type of thing, but could this have a negative impact on 3rd party messaging software? such as trillian?