Re: [mv] Amazon (Patent) US5960411: Method and system for placingapurchase order via a communications

[Birgitt Funk <birgitt@booktraders.com>]

On Fri, 17 Dec 1999, Mr. Christopher F. Miller wrote:

> ******    message to minivend-users from "Mr. Christopher F. Miller" <cfm@maine.com>     ******
> 
> 
[snip]

> 
> My understanding, FWIW, is that a patent on an idea is not enough,
> but that Amazon will have to show some common code base.  Frankly,
> I'm not sure what they are **really** angling at; maybe pursuing
> the patent this way simply puts them on record with the biggest
> land claim whether it fails or not.

B&N (Bertelsmann) is the only other monopoly who can beat Amazon.
They (B&N) were just too slow to counteract with their online sites. 
I guess it's just the unsatisfiable urge to compete among two giants
...as always the unavoidable male thing....8-) 

Someone, a teacher at ABA's bookseller school, I contacted in 1997
was predicting that when B&N finally gets its act together Amazon will
have nothing to laugh.  
 
But who will laugh last ? May be you guys, who help the independents
making good online booksales with their MV catalogs ? 
 
Birgitt Funk

> Is anyone willing to put money on Amazon actually succeeding in
> obtaining and enforcing such a patent and still staying in business?
> "When you shop at Amazon, bring your Amazon CC because Amazon
> doesn't (can't) take Visa, MC, Amex, Discover, ....?"

half a penny