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As more and more areas are considered "patentable" you get some really bizarre patent attempts. Remember the patents on various tax strategies? Apparently some folks involved in the mutual fund business are getting into the act, trying to patent a method for creating fundamentally-weighted index funds. Clearly, without the patent system, such an idea would never have occurred to anyone.
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Business Method by MLS on May 21st, 2008 @ 10:25am
In the absence of a copy of the application and what is attempting to be claimed, it seems a bit premature for others to suggest that the "sky is falling". If there is a lot of prior art, then whatever may issue will most certainly be of very limited scope.
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false advertising? by Joe Smith on May 21st, 2008 @ 10:47am
This is not an index fund - in fact it sounds a lot like "What Works on Wall Street" with its emphasis on low Price/Sales ratios.
It may even be false advertising for these folks to market this as an "index" fund.
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More BS from Mikey by angry dude on May 21st, 2008 @ 11:48am
Why should legitimate small inventors and holders of valid patents on novel and useful technical inventions be constantly embarrased by the anti-patent rethorics of corporate PR hacks like Mike Masnick who hasn't invented squat in his lifetime ?
Is this part of a big plan by your corporate masters ?
Tell us Mikey...
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Re: More BS from Mikey by Anonymous Coward on May 21st, 2008 @ 12:00pm
You say a lot and yet nothing comes out.
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Re: Re: More BS from Mikey by angry dude on May 21st, 2008 @ 12:03pm
Hey punk
patent "deform" of 2005 then 2006 then 2007 going all the way to April of 2008 has been finally taken off the Senate floor agenda...
Nothing comes out ?
Huh
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More BS from Mikey by angry dude by Rob on May 21st, 2008 @ 12:08pm
Wow, I dont know where to begin. So no one should comment, report, or analyse patents and inventions because they haven't "invented squat in [their] lifetime"? You are, of course, an expert on everything, right? So you are qualified to comment on everything by your own argument, right? You yourself have made a "novel and useful technical invention" correct? If not, then you defeat your own criticism, QED. Sorry, fail, try again.
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Re: More BS from Mikey by Mike on May 21st, 2008 @ 12:09pm
Why should legitimate small inventors and holders of valid patents on novel and useful technical inventions be constantly embarrased by the anti-patent rethorics of corporate PR hacks like Mike Masnick who hasn't invented squat in his lifetime ?
So many incorrect things in a single statement. What does embarrassment have to do with anything. We're just pointing out how the patent system is harming, rather than helping innovation -- something you've never once tried to counter with any actual evidence.
Second, I'm not and never have been, in the corporate PR business. This has been pointed out to you in the past, and you've even admitted that you lied about out of anger -- and yet you keep doing it.
Third, I have done plenty of innovative things, including building up a successful business that contributes economically to society, while also helping many businesses better innovate as well. The overall impact of our business has resulted in widespread economic growth in this country and around the world. What have you done? And, for the record, angry dude has lied in the past about owning multiple patents, and then a year or so after saying that claimed that he'd just received his first patent -- though he refuses to tell us what that patent is for.
Angry dude, we've asked you in the past for some very simple things: rather than merely insult everyone, actually back up what you have to say. You've refused. We've asked you to stop lying. You've refused.
I'm trying to figure out how you can think that your argument is more credible when you fail to even take the most basic steps towards backing it up.
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Re: More BS from Mikey by sonofdot on May 21st, 2008 @ 12:26pm
So tell us, genius, exactly what is technical about this? You should quit posting on here, and go back to masturbating to National Geographic in your mother's basement.
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angry dude is a troll by Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased) on May 21st, 2008 @ 1:21pm
a.d. is just trying to get us all riled up. He is either a lonely troll (a persistent one at that) or a patent hoarding company's shill since they don't really have a good justification for suing true inventors/implementors except for money they don't deserve.
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"There are some things... by Chiropetra on May 21st, 2008 @ 1:43pm
it is impossible to parody. Today's attempt at parody is tomorrow's design document."
--Wiz Zumwalt
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Re: More BS from Mikey by Chiropetra on May 21st, 2008 @ 1:46pm
Of course neither have the so-called 'inventors' discussed here invented squat in their lifetime.
Angry Dude may be angry, but he isn't very good at making such critical distinctions.
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"There are some things... by Chiropetra on May 21st, 2008 @ 1:47pm
it is impossible to parody. Today's attempt at parody is tomorrow's design document."
--Wiz Zumwalt
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Mmmm ... PB&J by Little Punk on May 21st, 2008 @ 6:14pm
As I sat there eating a PB&J I wondered whether I was violating some hard working inventor's property.
Hey - waddayaknow, maybe I will avoid a prison sentence.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7432980
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Re: Re: Re: More BS from Mikey by John Wilson on May 22nd, 2008 @ 7:28am
Well, perhaps not.
Though perhaps they ducked because the courts, who opened up this little pandora's box of anything is patentable, seem to be having second thoughts and finally saying enough is enough, thank you very much.
Novel and useful? In the absence of the actual patent application is seems like they're trying to patent what any decent mutual fund should be doing anyway. Hardly novel. Useful? I guess we'll find out.
ttfn
John
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Re: More BS from Mikey by Anonymous Coward on May 22nd, 2008 @ 8:50am
pffffftt!
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Re: angry dude is a troll by sonofdot on May 22nd, 2008 @ 9:03am
Our local troll is insulted that you're lumping him in the same group as angry dude.
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