From phm@a2e.de  Wed Jan 31 01:16:58 2001
Date: 31 Jan 2001 02:16:58 +0100
From: PILCH Hartmut phm@a2e.de
Subject: [Patents] Re: Patent on "extended file system", by Microsoft

Microsoft aspires to ownership of the concept of distributing a file
system over a network:

        http://l2.espacenet.com/dips/viewer?PN=WO0057315&CY=ep&LG=en&DB=EPD

  1. In a computer system, a method of providing access to file system
  object data, comprising: receiving a request to access object data
  from the file system; determining whether the data is maintained at a
  local source or is maintained at a remote source; and if maintained at
  the local source, providing access to the data from the local source;
  and if maintained at the remote source, providing access to the data
  from the remote source.

Note that any system which implements the above-specified obviously
desirable functionality will infringe on Microsoft's patent.  This
patent has apparently been granted in the US and Australia, but not by
the EPO yet.  The application dates to 1999.  Everything since 1997 is
still in the backlog at the EPO it seems.  IMHO the EPO should stop
examining software patents and let its backlog grow further for a
while.  It was said that we are in a swpat moratorium period, and that
is the least the EPO can do to show some respect for this declared
will of the concerned politicians and public opinion.

-phm




