Research Process Patenting

[Josh Berkus]

Tim,

> It dawned on me, what is to stop Redmond from patenting studying social
> networks based on link relationships, or so many methods therein that
> they can hold coin over anyone that makes products based on this
> research? In other words, if you research, you pay Microsoft if you plan
> to publish your work because your method was 'similar' to theirs.

I don't think anyone on this list is capable of answering your 
questions.   Try SFLC?

--Josh