WTF? Google PATENTS its search page design?
 

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-P...RS=PN/D599,372

http://i29.tinypic.com/akihj8.jpg

Damn. Is this really necessary. Stifles competition? I can understand discouraging copycats that rip off the look and feel of the site... But aren't MANY (not all) of these elements kinda generic to begin with?

"do no evil"... yeah right...

fucking wierd

eventually they'll change it anyway when new web technology comes along

I'm surprised the patent application was approved. Those are kinda common design elements. :helpme

that's what you get with gov (patent) employees

patent everything..food, life, fish,

So it's wide one line form in the center, two buttons below and a bit of some text around... that's silly... what next?! the word "search" ???

Despite how basic it is, it's Google's image, and everyone knows it. They are just protecting themselves from people riding their coat tails and trying to gain trust in people by mimicking something they already have trust in.

Simple is good.

that's just smart business. i was lucky enough to go to Google, and it's a well oiled machine. everything they do is elite. they cut no corners, and i was blown away at how they just dominate shit. google is one of the best run companies in the entire world.

Just remember: patents expire.

:)

This reminds me of that Superman issue where some villain wanted to patent the English language :1orglaugh

There's already legal protection for that. It's called trade dress http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_dress

Because they CAN!!!! ;)

Exactly... They did this because they can.