Re: MAKE.MONEY.FAST

[Phil Karn <karn@qualcomm.com>]

>I'm afraid that you just published the idea, Mike, so only you can
>patent it in the US during the next 12 months. Outside the US, its now
>unpatentable.

When has that ever stopped the Patent Office? I have had the bitter
experience of openly publishing an idea (a protocol for wireless LANs)
with the intent that it pass into the public domain. With much
surprise did I learn that Proxim, Inc, had filed for and was granted a
patent on the same exact thing, despite their filing date being more
than a year after the publication of my paper.

By the way, I notice that the Patent Office is taking comments until
August on whether their standards for nonobviousness should be
tightened. (Is the Pope Polish?) Here's your chance, although after
the way NIST totally ignored our comments on clipper, I don't know
what good it will do...

Phil