"is not" operator - MS attempts to patent it ?

From: andrew_webby at hotmail <andrew_webby_at_hotmail.com>
Date: 19 Nov 2004 09:29:40 -0800
Message-ID: <f45d9b0.0411190929.20060dd5@posting.google.com>

I'm sure most of you will have seen the recent news that MS attempts to patent the "is not" operator.

Weird and unbelievable, and sadly true by the look of it.

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20041118224916429

http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220040230959%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20040230959&RS=DN/20040230959

Surely its bound to be rejected and thoroughly laughed at, but it got me wondering what the history of this little doohicky was - and where was it first used? I know its pretty prevalent in Oracle for a start... Received on Fri Nov 19 2004 - 11:29:40 CST