Ruben J=F6nsson wrote:

> That would sort of defeat the purpose, which is to make the idea public b=
ut
> only seen by people who wouldn't know what to do with it anyway. Then the
> inventors can carry on developing the product and be sure that no one els=
e
> files a patent on it AND that no one else develops a product based on the=
 idea.
>
> /Ruben
>
> > > I have heard that here in Sweden (not sure how common it is though)
> > > instead of actually filing for a patent with an idea or a product,
> > > an add describing the product and its main features is put far back
> > > amongst the personal ads in a totally unrelated paper. The point of
> > > this being that the idea hereafter is unpatentable and the add in
> > > the paper clearly sets a date to the publication of the idea.
> >
> > Just found that adding a PICList message Id to mid.gmane.org/ points
> > to the PICList
> > message. That is,
> > < mid.gmane.org/523E9C40.20099.29324590@ruben.rjjournal.net > points to=
 the
> > quoted message. So, someone from Sweden could post an idea here on PICL=
ist to
> > make it unpatentable in Sweden. He could refer to it through the messag=
e Id and
> > mid.gmane.org later (in case PICList server and mailman get down). Ans =
I suspect
> > there are other servers to fetch an email message by id. Anyone know so=
me?

A couple times a few years ago we actually used the patent office to do
essentially the same thing. What we did was file a patent disclosure
with the USPO (with no intention of following through with a patent
application) I don't know what the disclosure fees are now but at the
time the fees were nominal.   The effect was it became impossible for
someone else to file a patent for the same thing.

w..


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