Sta.sh
Our friends over at Slashdot have highlighted yet another case of a very dubious patent application sent to the US Patent Office. Microsoft quietly applied for a patent for the "method for a user to preview multiple virtual desktops in a graphical user interface". The implications for software developers seems grave; any software company which continues to develop an application featuring virtual desktop previews may have to answer to Microsoft in the future. Popular software such as Litestep, Gnome and KDE would be affected if the patent is granted.
The patent's abstract reads: A method for a user to preview multiple virtual desktops in a graphical user interface is described. The method comprises receiving an indication from a user to preview the multiple virtual desktops and displaying multiple panes on the display. Each pane contains a scaled virtual desktop having dimensions that are proportionally less than the dimensions of a corresponding full-size virtual desktop. Each scaled virtual desktop displays with one or more scaled application windows as shadows if the corresponding full-size virtual desktop has one or more corresponding application windows that are active.
Many have expressed alarm at the "first come, first serve" nature of patents. In this case, Microsoft's foray into this technology has been a poorly-coded (unsupported) PowerToy for Windows XP. Despite the fact that Microsoft has almost no history with this technology and that virtual desktop previews were in place long before their PowerToy, Microsoft has applied for a patent. Here's to the hope that software houses will come forward and file applications of their own, much like how the technology responsible for mp3s is under patent but can be used royalty free.
The patent application Original Slashdot.org article
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But that's just my opinion.
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But that's just my opinion.
take that statement any which way u choose
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If God brings you to it...He'll take you through it.
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Don't call it a comeback.
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Don't call it a comeback.
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Without faith, hope, and trust, how can there be love?
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Art: Manifestation of the viewers Personal emotion.
Gaia: cnflct! & Aduru