[wellylug] new MS software patent application

[Tony Wills]

At 09:46 21/11/2004, you wrote:
>In this patent application, M$ are trying to own the IsNot operator. Although
>the William Gates approach lends itself to an I_Snot takeoff :-)

Bizarre!

They are trying to patent the idea of having one word (and variations of) 
ISNOT instead of some other construct [such as 'not (a is b') or even 'a is 
not b'] when comparing the address of two objects.  They are not trying to 
patent the idea of comparing addresses.
Apart from being rather annoying if your language has such a keyword that 
you can not use without paying a royalty it will hardly make a huge dent in 
computer programming. (how do you compare an objects address in 'C' ?)

But if it sets a precedent for allowing bits of grammar to be patented it 
is truly bizarre and a bit of a worry.

I reminds me of the Goon Show 'The Great Regent Park Swim' in which 
Grytpype Thynne invents the word 'help' and charges drowning people for the 
use of the word (500 pounds a go).