Clay Shirky has just blogged an high-larious deconstruction of SocalGrid, a FOAF-meets-dating-service social networking tool where users rate their physical attributes (5'10" blonde with "model looks") and the social attributes of their ideal mate and the service does the rest. The service commits every socially retarded gaffe imaginable, has attracted 9 men for every woman who's signed up, but the very best part is the "warning to copycats:"
SocialGrid has retained one of the top intellectual property law firms in America. Everything on this site is copyrighted and trademarked, including our search and coding system. Our patent application claims coverage on searches for all complex objects using Internet search engines. Our goal is to ensure a search system that will be free to our members and keep individuals and corporations from profiting by charging for searches. We will marginalize every profit margin. There is no money to made in creating another ID coding system. The world needs only one system. If necessary, we will give SocialGrid and the patent to Google to insure one standardized coding system. Any copycats and clones will have to answer to Google. Please be advised that any copyright, trademark, and patent infringement will result in legal action.
