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in reply to Re^2: Help! DBD/DBIx::Chart need patent protection!
in thread Help! DBD/DBIx::Chart need patent protection!

Which part of the SQL syntax in DBD/DBIx::Chart *isn't* about charting

None of it is. Except maybe for "returning", that would run fine on a MySQL database (for example).

In fact, I can't find "returning" anywhere in the documentation. I don't think it's part of DBD::Chart's syntax either.

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Re^4: Help! DBD/DBIx::Chart need patent protection!
by renodino (Curate) on Feb 20, 2009 at 03:27 UTC
    Hmmm. An interesting interpretation. I suppose, given a narrow interpretation of the patent application in question, you're correct, in that DBD/DBIx::Chart attempts to conform to existing SQL syntax as much as possible, whereas the patent attempts to create whole new syntax elements for SQL. However, patents (esp. software patents) don't seem to be written for narrow interpretation, so I think it behooves me to file a prior art claim, since either

    1. You're right: in which case, its important that the patent office dismiss my claim of prior art so any users of DBD/DBIx::Chart needn't worry about future claims of infringement, since it predates the patent filing, and has been ruled unrelated by the patent office
    2. I'm right: in which case, its important that the patent be denied on prior art claims.

    Perl Contrarian & SQL fanboy

      You ignored the second point I brought up. From the first clause:

      where a first portion of the text query specifies the data to be retrieved and a second portion of the text query specifies a format for graphing the data

      DBD::Chart fetches its data from an existing table, but the patent explicitly combines data query with output formatting.

      If there's any ambiguity in that, it's cleared up in by the following: The choice of chart type is done "in accordance with a keyword in the second portion of the text query." DBD::Chart has neither such a keyword nor "a second portion of the text query".