08-26-2005, 10:48 PM
|
#16
|
Jack Burton 
Join Date: November 10, 2001
Location: Bathurst & Orange, in constant flux
Age: 37
Posts: 5,452
|
Quote:
Originally posted by robertthebard:
I'm not sure, but I don't think anyone has a patent on IM's.
|
Knowing how rampant and over-broad Software patents are, IBM, Sun, and Microsoft probably all own patents on it. But that doesn't stop anyone using it, since it's a generally good idea - and software patents aren't. AOL has a trademark on the term 'instant messenger', though, which is undoubtedly why Google keeps calling it 'IM' on their page.
|
|
|