<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <META NAME="Generator" CONTENT="MS Exchange Server version 5.5.2653.12"> <TITLE>RE: [JDEV] OT: AOL Patents IM (Patent creates IM wrinkle )</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> I think there's already enough prior art on this list to keep any legion of lawyers content for a few years.  Although I'm guilty of it myself with my 1976 entry for PLATO's TERM-talk system, let's cut it out and leave lawmaking to the politicians. F. > -----Original Message----- > From: Van Gale [<A HREF="mailto:vangale@fastmail.fm">mailto:vangale@fastmail.fm</A>] > Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 5:14 PM > To: jdev@jabber.org > Subject: Re: [JDEV] OT: AOL Patents IM (Patent creates IM wrinkle ) > > > A lot of the messages I've seen here mention systems in use > after 1990.  I > do believe ICQ was available by at least 1990, maybe sooner.  I have a > 6-digit ICQ number because I started using it then, and I > believe it had > been available for at least 6 months before. > > Hopefully someone can come up with something earlier for prior art. > > Van > > > _______________________________________________ > jdev mailing list > jdev@jabber.org > <A HREF="http://mailman.jabber.org/listinfo/jdev" TARGET="_blank">http://mailman.jabber.org/listinfo/jdev</A> > <CODE> ********************************************************************** E-mail sent through the Internet is not secure. Western Asset therefore recommends that you do not send any confidential or sensitive information to us via electronic mail, including social security numbers, account numbers, or personal identification numbers. Delivery, and or timely delivery of Internet mail is not guaranteed. Western Asset therefore recommends that you do not send time sensitive or action-oriented messages to us via electronic mail. ********************************************************************** </CODE> </BODY> </HTML>