Rewarding corruption

Why move away from standards and impose (using 'fines') Microsoft formats that involved corruption including bribery? Why does the USPTO push formats and products of just one USPTO applicant?

Summary: The Microsoft infestation in the USPTO shows no signs of stopping

WITH Microsoft Vidal [1, 2] in charge of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) we should not be surprised to see the world's most influential patent office pushing Microsoft's vendor lock-in more aggressively than ever before.

"I got this today from the USPTO," a reader told us. "They are going to allow pdf back-ups^*, because everybody knows DOCX doesn't work."

To quote:

New temporary backup option to help ease transition to DOCX

As part of our efforts to use all available technology to strengthen patents and reduce pendency times, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is transitioning to the DOCX format for patent application filings. In our latest initiative to ease the transition to DOCX, and to address concerns that the new format might result in conversion discrepancies, we have announced an interim, optional procedure.

Through December 31, 2022, applicants may upload a backup PDF version of their application with their DOCX version. There are no fees associated with this backup PDF. And, there is no obligation to provide a backup PDF. The backup PDF option will allow applicants concerned about the new format to gain confidence in the reliability and accuracy of filing applications in DOCX. Applicants can be assured that, should there be any conversion discrepancies, they can rely on the PDF to verify the substance of their original filing.

To learn more about how the transition to DOCX will improve patent quality and speed the application process, please read our latest blog. The Federal Register Notice announcing this process is available on our Patent Related Notices webpage. Please see the USPTO’s DOCX web page for more information about filing patent application documents in DOCX.

We encourage all applicants to start filing in DOCX so we can streamline the process for you and improve our ability to examine your application quickly and effectively.

They are basically imposing Microsoft on everybody. How is this even legal???

"I found patent attorneys on the Internet talking about how DOCX doesn't work," the reader told us. "But, as you can imagine, they never responded when I contacted them about my efforts to actually do something about the USPTO, Kappos, and Microsoft."

"Kappos has a buddy named Bernie Knight who he installed as General Counsel at the USPTO, and Knight wrote an opinion that enabled the introduction of the $200 "electronic filing incentive" penalty, and, subsequently, the $400 penalty if DOCX isn't used."

"Knight is peddling himself in Washington as an "anger management" counselor. He charges $300-per-hour. Knight and Kappos have made thousands of people angry, and Kappos gets $1,000-per-hour, surely - maybe more - and Knight gets $300-per-hour for "anger management." I never use this cliche, but, I'll break my own rule: Only in America. Another link to Knight. ⬆ _____ ^* Free, apparently, initially, just so people think they care.