web patents

> But by that time, if BT has it's way, you won't be able to afford to
> surf the net since they will have proven thier patent on hyperlinks and
> will be happily charging a penny per link on all web pages by all ISP's.
> Hmm, well, at least American ISP's where we have such sterling patent
> laws and stellar preformance by our patent office.

As Charlie Brown would say, "AAUGH!".  What IS it with these corporations.
Greed has now officially entered the internet full scale.  Folks, the free
spirited days of the internet as we know it may be coming to an end.  We may
be entering a new chapter of it's young life.  This is now at least the
third attack that I know of.  First Unisys with GIF's, then Amazon with the
infamous and ridiculous "One Click Technology" :( and now THIS!!??  As you
said Jim, BT says "we" don't have anything to fear, just the ISP's.  Who do
they think they're kidding!?  Everyone and their mother knows the cost will
just get passed along to us.  There are so many reasons why this is so
absurd that I would need HUGE soap box to elaborate.  I'll try to keep my
hammer and saw holstered :-)  (uh, nobody's patented smiley faces yet have
they?.....)

By the way, I have joined a boycott against Amazon.  If anyone is interested
in that whole deal, visit http://www.nowebpatents.org/

If this keeps up, we won't even be able to start our pages with <.html>
without possibly having to pay a royalty or obtain a license.

Keep the internet a medium of the people, for the people, by the people!
Steve

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