"Justin R. Bregar" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>I also own an F5 and I had it programmed by Nikon at the last NPPA >>Conference to leave the Film leader out. No Charge. I asked the Tech to >>confirm my suspicion that Canon (please excuse my filthy mouth) has the >>patent on A USER SERVICEABLE OPTION TO LEAVE THE FILM LEADER OUT. He said >>that is why they can program it and we can't. Dirty Shame, I did like the >>option on my old A2e, before I upgraded to the F5. >>Drew >Nope. Minolta's 800si can be programmed to leave it out when rewound. >It's a Nikon thing. <<In addition, for something to be patented it must not be "obvious to one skilled in the art". I really doubt leaving the leader out and autorewind fall into this category. I have heard that the Patent Office has been a bit liberal in their granting of patents lately. However, if an idea really should not have been patentable in the first place it could be challenged in court.>> I agree. Patenting leaving a leader out is like trying to patent an open door as opposed to a closed door. This is a condition, not an object, and I really doubt this kind of thing can be patented. My 2 cents - drrrRicardo
