🚀 go-pugleaf

Here me go again!

I should preface this by stating that I have not read the full text of
the patent - only the portion presented here, so this is only a half-baked
response...

It would seem that there exists just a tad of prior art insofar as
data interchange mechanisms go.  Consult RFC959 (FTP from Oct 1985) and
its prior version, RFC765.  Both contain sections on data representation
for interchange purposes.

Even more specific is the SECS-II (Semi equipment communication standards)
protocol layer 2.  Its entire purpose (so far as I can tell, having written
several programs that use it) is to provide an interchange format for binary
data (8 bit boolean, 8, 16, 32 bit integer (signed and unsigned), 32 and 64
bit floating point, etc.)  I've been using this since way before the
"patent" refered to was filed.  And I know the standard has existed for
some time before that.  Unfortunately I don't have a copy readily at hand
so I cannot refer to the date it was first published.  SECS-II is a complex
beastie, but it covers practically everything you'd ever want to do between
computers with 8 bit bytes. (Snide comments to alt.sex.*)


Perhaps Williams company has patented a particular means for interchange,
but the broad sweeping claims posted here sound as though they intend
to include most any means.

Gary Oliver
go@jacobs.cs.orst.edu