Microsoft patents IM translation

I must be brief, but:

(*)	Yes, the Slashdot story is true. MS have patented in-flight 
translation
(*)	No, it's not quite what you think. If you read the claims, the 
patent seems to explicitly exclude systems where the client queries a 
translation server before sending
(*)	Unfortunately, this probably won't save us. EB-lite, when running as 
a remote core, could count as an intermediate server, and therefore may 
be liable.
(*)	No, this is not a mistimed April Fools joke. I joked about something 
like this once in the past...damn, I hate eating my words :-(


What can you do?

Email the EFF. Ask them. They'll know. Try to find prior art - read the 
patent, make sure it's actually conforming to the patent - see above.

If you're outside the united states, in a country which has not yet 
implemented software patents - write to your government! Tell them that 
resisting them is a good thing!

Meredydd