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greggh
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by greggh » Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:46 am
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10129438-92.html
Microsoft has applied for a patent on metered, pay-as-you-go computing.
U.S. patent application number 20080319910, published on Christmas Day, details Microsoft's vision of a situation where a "standard model" of PC is given away or heavily subsidized by someone in the supply chain. The end user then pays to use the computer, with charges based on both the length of usage time and the performance levels utilized, along with a "one-time charge."
Because that's just what everybody wants... a utility meter bolted onto their their computer.
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dann
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by dann » Mon Dec 29, 2008 11:38 am
How is this innovative and deserving of a patent? While not point-for-point, but didn't some ISP's try this in the past where they gave you a computer and you just had to pay for their service for a certain number of years?
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eddie
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by eddie » Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:54 pm
How can you patent rent? That is been going on for centuries. The attorneys at MS must lead a sheltered life..... I think they are sore losers with linux and are trying to get back at everyone.
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LinuxMint-4
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by LinuxMint-4 » Mon Dec 29, 2008 3:55 pm
dann wrote:How is this innovative and deserving of a patent? While not point-for-point, but didn't some ISP's try this in the past where they gave you a computer and you just had to pay for their service for a certain number of years?
Kind of like whats going on now with the Radio Shack "deal" with the $99 laptop and the commitment to two years of at&t wireless.
In 1999 there were deals with MSN dial up where if you commit for three years, your computer was "free" or close to it.
Linux Mint 9 Gnome, Ubuntu 8.10 Easy Peasy , Open Suse, Windows XP PRO and others.
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greggh
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by greggh » Fri Jan 02, 2009 6:49 pm
The US Patent & Trademark Office rejected the application
http://www.electronista.com/articles/09 ... .rejected/
Microsoft's patent application for a usage-based PC model has already been rebuffed by the US Patent Office, according to a letter disclosed today. Given to Microsoft a few days before the requested patent became public, the notice rejects Microsoft's submission for being at once too broad and too familiar. The tendency to use vague terms and the existence of already patented, relevant technology are cited as the core reasons behind the rejection.
