From epa98@doc.ic.ac.uk  Wed Nov 29 21:32:24 2000
Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 21:32:24 +0000 (GMT)
From: Edward Avis epa98@doc.ic.ac.uk
Subject: [Patents] Re: BT and Hyperlink patent

>From: Gregory Aharonian <srctran@world.std.com>

>The uproar over the BT hyperlink patent will be much ado about
>nothing.  There is ample prior art to so narrow the BT patent
>that it will end up either invalidated or unenforceable against
>anyone in the Internet world.

But in the meantime it will have caused a lot of hassle to ISPs and a
lots of needless waste and expense.  Thus demonstrating that invalid
or dubious patents (since there are so many of them) are just as much a
menace as valid ones.

-- 
Ed Avis
epa98@doc.ic.ac.uk





