Re: Sharing the Family PC is Patent-Pending

[Bruce Hayden]

theodp wrote:

> While Mainframe and Unix users are unlikely to find it novel that
> Windows XP allows several family members to share a PC while enabling
> each to have personalized settings and folders, that's not stopping
> Microsoft from seeking a patent for 'Methods and arrangements for
> providing multiple concurrent desktops and workspaces in a shared
> computing environment,' the USPTO disclosed Thursday.
>
> --> Link to Microsoft's Patent Application
>
> http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220040088709%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20040088709&RS=DN/20040088709

Haven't looked at the application, but I would be surprised that
if just that much was new and nonobvious.  Seems like Mac
and UNIX have had such for awhile.
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The preceding was not a legal opinion, and is not my employer's.
Original portions Copyright 2004 Bruce E. Hayden,all rights reserved
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Bruce E. Hayden                      bhayden@ieee.org
Dillon, Colorado                     bhayden@highdown.com
Phoenix, Arizona                     bhayden@copatlaw.com