In article <1994Apr6.175038.3291@vlsi.polymtl.ca>, linh@info.polymtl.ca (Linh Minh Hong Dang) writes:
|>
|>      The following patent was recently issued to Microsoft.  It doesn't seem
|> very novel, though it doesn't stand out in the class of semi-questionable
|> software patents.  However, in recent days a lot of people have asked me
|> about it, so I figure it is worth passing on.
|>
<<stuff deleted>>
|>   ABSTRACT :
|>   A method for a computer compiler for an object-oriented programming
|>    language for implementing virtual functions and virtual base classes is
|>    provided.
This is a "method" patent.  They are patenting their way of implementing
something.  You cannot judge if it is novel or questionable from the abstract.
You need to read the whole patent.

You also need to study the claims to see what it covers.

The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CFC), which is more or less
the supreme court for patents, has been making it much more difficult to
prove infringement of "method" patents.

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All opinions in this message are logical, well reasoned and my own.