[plug] [OT] [Fwd: California man patents eating, drinking.]

[Onno Benschop]

Evert van Dijk wrote:

> Funny thing is that one of the requirements of a patent is that it is 
> a NOVEL idea. something that has NOT been done before.
> How can these 'Diligent patent examiners' fail to pick up on that?

Ah, but the word Novel has so many meanings:

"The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48"
Novel Nov"el, n. F. nouvelle. See Novel, a.
   1. That which is new or unusual; a novelty.
      1913 Webster

   2. pl. News; fresh tidings. Obs.
      1913 Webster

            Some came of curiosity to hear some novels.
                                                  --Latimer.
      1913 Webster

   3. A fictitious tale or narrative, longer than a short story,
      having some degree of complexity and development of
      characters; it is usually organized as a time sequence of
      events, and is commonly intended to exhibit the operation
      of the passions, and often of love. --Dryden.
      1913 Webster +PJC

   4. L. novellae (sc. constitutiones): cf. F. novelles. (Law)
      A new or supplemental constitution. See the Note under
      Novel, a.
      1913 Webster


I think it comes in under #3

-- 
Onno Benschop

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