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What I'm looking for are thoughts on whether or not it would be of any use speaking to a patent lawyer about this.
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Me think it is legal; the patent is about COM, not .NET.
But you could send a cease and desist letter to Microsoft (with CC to the patent office); but I would not, I would be proud if an article I wrote was used as a reference for a patent.
Anyway, you unfortunately and probably do not have the resources to go to court against them (money and time and effort).
I'd rather be phishing!
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You can patent a derivative work, as long as it is unique enough. When you file a patent, you have to list any citations you know of. The patent examiner may add more, though if the citation were to fully describe the new invention, the patent wouldn't be granted. The question is whether the citations are complete and enough to fully describe the invention or make it obvious. This list can get both long and extremely obscure. Being cited generally increases the value of a patent and perhaps other sources as well, however that's as far as it goes. If being cited in a patent implied a monetary relationship, the entire system would become untenable.
So, the answer to Question 2 is no.
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Not all patents are for generating profit, in some cases (Think Apple’s rounded corner buttons) they are to prevent others from making money.
In my limited experience it is common practice, at least in medical device field, to reference papers written by Doctors to support the validity of a patent idea.
It was broke, so I fixed it.
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No idea if it is or isn't. I would, however, add it to my resume/cv asap.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair.
Those who seek perfection will only find imperfection
nils illegitimus carborundum
me, me, me
me, in pictures
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It looks like your article is about how to use the extension methods that Microsoft themselves have implemented for Visual Basic. From the footnote in the patent application, it would appear that the patent writer was simply using your article as a reference for how these methods might be used. I think you should just sit back and be happy that Microsoft's attorney included a reference to your article.
As far as getting any money from Microsoft, I think even if you could afford to bring some kind of action, you'd be hard pressed to show that anything in your article would entitle you to compensation. I mean, if there were an innovation there that Microsoft was leveraging in their invention, then you might be able to claim that there was prior art (i.e. you thought of it first) and so the patent is invalid. But really, your article is all about Microsoft's extension methods. So the sequence was: 1) They invented it (perhaps up for dispute, but that's a separate matter) 2) They commercialized it, then 3) You wrote an article about how to use it. Nice, but not different than any other article about how to leverage any technology.
The citation in the patent application is no different than any other citation unless they're making claims about an invention of yours (which would be weird and unlikely). We really can't go around and sue everyone who cites our articles  .
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I figured this would be the case, but if I hadn't inquired.... 
Thanks for the info, everyone, I appreciate the perspective.
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If you can prove that you published the "invention" or IP before someone filed a patent for it - you have what is known as "prior art".
It wouldn't be the first time they've done this....
What country are you in?
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Since his article is about the use of Microsoft's invention, it definitely could not be prior art.
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Actually, if is for a new a novel way of using an existing thing that could possibly be prior art - not for the invention itself but for using it in a certain way.
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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True, but the patent involved was not for a particular way of using extension methods, it was for the idea itself. And Gregory's article was a useful, but not particularly novel, sharing of what he had learned about how to use it.
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Rene Pilon wrote: If you can prove that you published the "invention" or IP before someone filed a
patent for it - you have what is known as "prior art".
However all that does is invalidate the patent.
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Yes, it just invalidates the patent. It still doesn't give you any rights.... you'll have to go through the same process ... however... there is "copyright" vs "patent"..
The thing is - do you have the money to go head to head with a giant over an extended period of time 
One guy in South America stuck it through and he was eventally paid off if I recall correctly.
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Gregory.Gadow wrote: Presumably, Microsoft would not have filed this patent if they did not expect to
see some kind of commercial return on it.
That isn't a given. Some companies, include MS, patent things to insure that someone else doesn't patent it and then tries to sue for infringement.
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Do you have any punscriptions?
Any and all puns are welcome. Let the punflaming begin!
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A pun is spontaneous. It is utterly inappropriate to ask for a pun war. You shall be punished.
~RaGE();
I think words like 'destiny' are a way of trying to find order where none exists. - Christian Graus
Do not feed the troll ! - Common proverb
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Is it because he's a badger that you went for a put-down?
speramus in juniperus
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I will not tolerate being badgered into the ground like a wild animal, for your infurmation i will not be specied out like this. Sweet honey butters no bee
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And all this while I thought badgers were thick-skinned.
/ravi
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I am loose skinned, not everything is black and white you know! That really stings that you would use honey words and twist like claws. I dig'ed you before i saw your hairy side. This dirt is too much!
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CBadger wrote: not everything is black and white you know!
That is what CZebra keeps saying as well.
~RaGE();
I think words like 'destiny' are a way of trying to find order where none exists. - Christian Graus
Do not feed the troll ! - Common proverb
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But VBBadger may disagree.
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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Unless he sees sharp.
~RaGE();
I think words like 'destiny' are a way of trying to find order where none exists. - Christian Graus
Do not feed the troll ! - Common proverb
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I fired a couple of puns at five people I know to try to get them to laugh.
Unfortunately they weren't very funny.
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So you're saying no pun in ten did?
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
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