[OT] Software patents

[Klaus-Peter Schrage]

I've always wondered what the discussion on software patents is about. 
Now I've found an illustrative example, recently filed by a Redmond 
software company (US-Patent Nr. 6,775,828).
Quote from
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,775,828.WKU.&OS=PN/6,775,828&RS=PN/6,775,828

"Delayed uploading of user registration data

Abstract

A client computer collects registration information regarding a user 
and/or the client computer and attempts to upload the collected 
information to a remote registration system. The client computer stores 
the registration information locally and delays uploading of the 
information to the registration system until a connection to the 
registration system is established. The connection to the registration 
system and the uploading of the registration information can be 
performed automatically and transparently to the user, eliminating the 
need for any further required actions on the part of the user once the 
registration information is collected."

Ingenious!
Klaus