when jokes come true
in 1998, The Onion ran an article called "Microsoft Patents Ones, Zeroes," which hilariously poked fun at Microsoft's corporate imperialism tactics and disrespect for the Sherman act. the article pointed out that other software companies would be forced to respond by developing software based on analog technologies such as vinyl records. unable to use the binary system, Novell's communication suites would utilize message-carrying monkeys. it was just funny. oh, and here it is.
but six years later, Microsoft actually submitted a patent application for the "IsNot" operator in the C language. the legal ramifications of patenting a "C" operator are frighteningly broad. they aren't trying to lay claim to 1's and 0's but this is as pretty damn close as you can come in real life.
(and yes it did take me a year and a half to realize the [not irony but i don't have a better word for it] of the situation)
is the onion article still funny? yes. is it eerily prophetic? ehhh, i dunno. i just felt like pointing that out.
but six years later, Microsoft actually submitted a patent application for the "IsNot" operator in the C language. the legal ramifications of patenting a "C" operator are frighteningly broad. they aren't trying to lay claim to 1's and 0's but this is as pretty damn close as you can come in real life.
(and yes it did take me a year and a half to realize the [not irony but i don't have a better word for it] of the situation)
is the onion article still funny? yes. is it eerily prophetic? ehhh, i dunno. i just felt like pointing that out.