This is really sad - the prior art here is piled very deep - the examiner=
 must not have looked very far to have let this one through.  I remember =
using a Tektronix digital scope or spectrum analyzer (not certain which) =
about 25 years ago, which used buttons to control everything.  You know t=
he type of action - press a button momentarily and the selected item coun=
ts up or down by 1. Press and hold the button and the count starts increa=
sing or decreasing automatically. =20

The unusual trick on this particular design was that if, while holding th=
e button (autoincrement running) you RELEASED it for a moment and then he=
ld it in again, the autoincrement rate would increase.  If you repeated t=
he action (quick release / press) the autoincrement rate would increase a=
gain - you could repeat this many times getting really fast stepping rate=
s. Release the button for a little longer (took some practce) and you wer=
e back to 1 step per press. This allowed you to go through a really exten=
ded value range very quickly.  I borrowed the idea for several of my own =
designs back then (around 1980) and we sold the products.

In any case the Microsoft use should never have been granted a patent.

Roy J. Gromlich
Renaissance Technologies

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