Google's Comical New Social Networking Patent 45
theodp writes "GeekWire reports on Google's just-granted patent on creating and sharing social network status updates in the form of comic strips, a la Bitstrips. Google also envisions an educational role for its new invention, which the search giant has dubbed the Self-Creation of Comic Strips in Social Networks and Other Communications. Google explains, 'Aside from humor, such comic strips are also usable for education, for instance in summarizing a real-time conversation between two political leaders as it is happening. By posting such a comic strip on a social network facility such as a social network blog or tweet, others may more readily follow the flow of the conversation than if it had been summarized in plain text.'"
Re: (Score:2)
Ancient commenter Solomon (Score:1)
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Eccl 1:9 [blueletterbible.org]
Re: (Score:2)
Google Peanuts (Score:2, Funny)
Charlie Brown tries to kick a beta Google football. Lucy retires it right before Charlie Brown gets a chance to kick it.
Once again (Score:1)
microsoft comic chat? (Score:1)
the world really doesn't need jerkcityr or jerkcity 2.0,...
Re: (Score:2)
You don't get to say what you want; you get to select from a list of what Google wants you to say. It's part of the new Corporate Free Speech (TM).
Heroine (Score:2)
Bit strips updates OTHER people's status as your o (Score:2)
I certainly hope they included in the patent 1) only letting people say what Google wants them to say, 2) Only including comics that are already predrawn with pre-existing text, only the name being different 3) not permitting the mention of anyone without an online existance.
Because those elements are key to their business model.
Re: (Score:2)
After I read TFA, I thought it might be a fun thing - like an XKCD version of Facebook. Then you mentioned Bit Strips, and my vision turned to horror.
God, I hate bit strips. Can't really say why, but it annoying really fast. I think it simply gave the masses yet another reason to say something stupid.
Re: (Score:1)
Lots of people say they hate them but they never give a reason either. Odd.
Microsoft Comic Chat (Score:3, Interesting)
Seems like it did mostly the same thing?
Re: (Score:2)
Last time this avenue of research was investigated, it didn't turn out well. Microsoft Comic Chat was responsible for giving the world Comic Sans.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comic_Sans_MS [wikipedia.org]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Comic_Chat [wikipedia.org]
if you're too remember it yourself, the timeline doesn't match. so it existed before comic chat.
Google Legal Chief: Patent Reform a Balancing Act (Score:2)
Google Legal Chief: Patent Reform a Balancing Act [wsj.com]: "The U.S. patent system makes it too easy for companies to get patents on software."
I remember this...15+ years ago. (Score:2)
What is described above is essentially MS Comic Chat, which I had fun with back in 1998.
Given the Patent Clone Wars, what I find comical here is that Microsoft hasn't cued up their lawyers yesterday on it.
Re: (Score:2)
To be more specific, released in 1996 according to its creator [kurlander.net],
Re: (Score:2)
Bloody thing - used to screw up the IRC channels that you tried to use it in (that was the IRC-based one, right?) by pumping tons of metadata about the comic into the channel.
Most places banned people using it.
Re: (Score:2)
yes.
#appears as a sexy dude
Re: (Score:2)
Bloody thing - used to screw up the IRC channels that you tried to use it in (that was the IRC-based one, right?) by pumping tons of metadata about the comic into the channel.
Most places banned people using it.
Yes, and today we handle that by crashing servers and building more infrastructure to handle all of the marketing dat, er I mean customers.
No one bans anything anymore. Too much money in buying and selling our private data these days, and zero regulations preventing it, by lobbyist design of course.
Re: I remember this...15+ years ago. (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Thanks (Score:3)
Google engineers are brilliant!
They have found the cure against the number 1 killer disease in the US... boredom!
Thank you, Google, for saving us! As a gift in return, you may have a peek at all our personal affairs.
Re:Thanks (Score:4, Funny)
Google engineers are brilliant! They have found the cure against the number 1 killer disease in the US... boredom!
Actually, I think what they are attempting to cure is literacy.
Because god knows Americans are too proud of their command of standard English, and lord their impeccable grammar and spelling over the rest of the world.
Re: (Score:3)
Judging by the comments on certain internet fora in America, the most common languages currently appear to be:
1. Vitriol
2. Snarkese
3. ALLCAPSISH
4. $PAmm3R@ni@n!!
5. LOLspeak and Doge.
(I'm just kidding. No one speaks Doge.)
Give 'em the [patented comic strip] news they want (Score:3)
"nstead of giving people the news they need , why not give them the news they want ?"
--Ron Burgundy, Anchorman 2 [thecelebritycafe.com]
Okay, I'll say it. (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Fair question. How is rectangle with rounded edges patentable? http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/7/3614506/apple-patents-rectangle-with-rounded-corners [theverge.com]
Re: (Score:2)
The rectangle with rounded edges was a design patent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_patent) not a utlitity patent, which the Google patent is.
I'm not saying the Google patent isn't bad, especially given the clear prior art with MS Comic Chat, but just that it's important to distinguish the types of patents when pointing out the inanity of the system. Design patents are a little easier to accept since they're closer to copyright on physical objects.
-Chris
Re: (Score:2)
The rectangle with rounded edges was a design patent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_patent) not a utlitity patent, which the Google patent is.
... Design patents are a little easier to accept since they're closer to copyright on physical objects.
Sort of... They're actually closer to trade dress: if you have a distinctive trade dress or a granted design patent, then you can stop someone from using the design, even if they aren't actually copying you and never even saw your design, unlike copyright, which requires actual copying.
I'm not saying the Google patent isn't bad, especially given the clear prior art with MS Comic Chat, but just that it's important to distinguish the types of patents when pointing out the inanity of the system.
Having read both the Comic Chat article linked earlier, and the patent claims (which you clearly haven't done), I don't know how anyone could say that Comic Chat is "clear prior art"... At least in any way more meaningful tha
Is this an idea (Score:2)
or is it an implementation?
In unrelated news. Weren't you disappointed too in the New Year's Concert from Vienna?
I expected the NSA Polka and the Surveillance Waltz.
Happy New Year anyway!
Skip ahead (Score:2)
Ladies : don't use Bitstrip in your dating profile (Score:2)
.. having been separated last year, I've been hitting the internet dating, including Tinder.
Anyone who uses a Bitstrip as a profile photo gets rejected instantly unless they are very, very compelling otherwise. It just conveys a complete lack of honesty and originality to me..
Re: (Score:2)
.. having been separated last year, I've been hitting the internet dating, including Tinder.
Anyone who uses a Bitstrip as a profile photo gets rejected instantly unless they are very, very compelling otherwise. It just conveys a complete lack of honesty and originality to me..
You assume, inaccurately, that they'd not want to be "instantly rejected" by someone that condescending.