[LINK] FC: Patent office so laughable that it's been Dilbertized

[Adam Todd]

At 15:25 2/06/00 +1000, Rick Welykochy wrote:
>Would a patent on "one-click shopping" be granted in Australia?
>I believe Amazon.com in the USA ha a patent pending on this.

Very old news.  Amazon is in fact suing several companies presently for 
illegal use of this patent.

One matter heard and lost by the Respondent is now in Appeal.  The others 
I've not seen any updates on.

I can seek Web Sites if anyone is seriously interested in the stories and 
follow up, but it's not been something I've worried about.  I suspect the 
Appeal will see the Patent overturned.  The Original decision wasn't made 
so much on the rights of the Patent, but the identical nature of the 
process being used. (If you understand what I'm saying?)

I doubt you could register such a Patent in Australia.  But then with the 
oft incompetence of so many in the public service - why not.

Oh and someone was recently bagging all public servants.  Well I have to 
reiterate I found some great people in Canberra in the ACT Government 
recently.  They followed procedure exactly to the letter and then jumped a 
little, instead of waiting for my letter of submission, had a meeting and 
decided to do what I'd applied for.  I got the news shortly after I'd 
drafted the letter :)  So some actually do use more than a brain cell or 
two :)  Some of them are very bright and very intelligent.

Shame they are the people who stay the shortest.