Re: Patents

["Krishna E. Bera" <kebera@Cyblings.ON.CA>]

The Software Patent Institute appears to be a prominent search 
engine or database for software technologies, such as some here 
have suggested.  You can find their website and database at 
http://www.spi.org/

They claimed (in 1994) that their services would allow developers 
of software technology to prevent others getting patents on that 
technology without the expense of applying for a patent.  
It is sponsored by the USPTO, IBM and Microsoft, among others.  
Members can access statistics on what was searched for.  They 
even have a rapid-response Defensive Disclosure Service (see 
disclos1.htm on the site).  

Has anyone tried to use this to prevent a patent on a new idea?
Would it be possible?