Re: [Patents] trivial use of frames is patented

["Nick Fleming" <Nick@bigfatpanda.fsnet.co.uk>]

> SBC Communications claims they own Patent on Internal links and Includes,
> threatens to sue the little guys first, then move to the big guys.
>
> We received a 40 page package from SBC Intellectual Property today
> informing us that our web site - which has links on the left side that go
> to other web pages within the site - but does not lose the left side
> navigation links - was in violation of their  ?Structured Document
Browser?
> Patent.
>
>
> see http://www.museumtour.com/sbclawsuit.html
>

Is this for real ? They seem to be claiming a patent for the frames
tag in html.. which first appeared in netscape navigator 2.0 .. (if
memory serves me correctly.. about 1995-1996 ??) and must
surely have been in a public standards document long before this
date. and so pre-dates the 1996 filing date ?

The rest, to me, just looks like typical legalese rubbish designed
to scare people into coughing up money.

..btw..the next time the US extends the copyright period by
another 20 years I'll just wonder if anyone else notices the
irony that the country that fought so hard to free the slaves
 has enslaved most of its population without them blinking.

Sorry. its late, forgive my ramblings.

Regards,

Nick.