Inside the BlackBerry Workaround 101
pillageplunder writes "Businessweek has a pretty good FAQ-style article on the proposed workaround that RIM would implement if a judge upholds an injunction." From the article: "It would work by changing the part of the network where e-mails are stored. Right now, when someone is out of wireless coverage range and can't immediately get e-mail access, RIM's service stores incoming messages on computers at one of its two network operations centers, or NOCs. When you come back into coverage range, those e-mails are forwarded to you automatically.
"
Don't NOC it until you try it (Score:5, Funny)
Under the workaround, these waiting e-mails would be stored somewhere else -- on the servers that sit behind the firewall of a company or carrier network. A large part of the infringement of the NTP patents is based on the e-mails being stored at the NOC, analysts say.
They could have just renamed or recreated the NOC as something else like, 'HELL' - the Humongous Email Limbo Lockup.
This way, when NTP asks them how they did it, they can simply say 'Go to HELL.'
Re:Well If That Isn't Worthy Of A Patent... (Score:5, Funny)
Since when can you patent guaranteeing delivery of a message?
Well, RIM had sent the Patent Office a message complaining about the "obviousness" of the patent, but somehow they never received it...
Re:Maybe I'm dense (Score:2, Funny)
Here's an idea:
We could write our messages down on paper and pay a bunch of people with psycotic tendencies to run around and deliver them to each us.
If they can find us and hand us the "en-vel-opes" (we'll call them), Done! Message delivered, no patent violation! It would clearly be a problem if we just had these people like, leave them in a nearby box or something for us. So, instead, until they find the actual hand of the recipient of the "en-vel-opes", they can just take the messages back to their warehouse - patent problem solved
woo-hoo!