To Satisfy Patent Demands Every Browser Must Change

from the yeah,-that's-innovation dept

More fallout from Microsoft losing their patent case against Eolas. Because of this, every browser is going to have to change, meaning that many things that currently work on the web, won't work after the changes are made. Microsoft is already adjusting their technology, and the W3C has started to look into what changes all browsers will need to make to avoid stepping on this patent. So, basically, right now we have a system that works, and because of a patent that wasn't used for anything other than to threaten a patent infringement lawsuit, every single browser needs to change, breaking stuff along the way. That's encouraging innovation? Also, how, exactly is the idea of embedding programs within the browser something that is non-obvious? It seems like software applications have been embedding other programs for years before this patent was ever filed.
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  • identicon
    brade, 29 Aug 2003 @ 10:37am

    CraptiveX

    ActiveX does not work, I would love to see the end of it and Flash. If MS looses half a Billion in the process then we are all better off.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      a real programmer, 15 Sep 2003 @ 8:58pm

      Re: CraptiveX - good riddance Flash

      I dont like patents and I dont like microsoft,
      but I do agree that if this puts Flash and all the wannabe web 'programmers' who use it out of business, then good.

      Flash is for losers.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        a real webcomic fan, 31 Oct 2005 @ 12:57pm

        Re: CraptiveX - good riddance Flash

        what about homestar runner? They use flash how it should be used, there's nothing wrong with that.

        Any programming language is for losers when said loser uses it badly.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Joe A., 29 Aug 2003 @ 11:17am

    Patents should NOT apply to software!

    Great quote from http://swpat.ffii.org/:
    "If Haydn had patented 'a symphony, characterised by that sound is produced [ in extended sonata form ]', Mozart would have been in trouble."

    Patent laws and applications are quite simply not ready to handle software patents.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Ed Halley, 29 Aug 2003 @ 11:18am

    No Subject Given

    Exactly how are 'all browsers' affected, again? Netscape, Mozilla, Galeon, Epiphany, Opera, lynx, links, and so on? Even if the patent somehow covers items found in those browsers, they'll have to chase the authors/publishers of those browsers.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 29 Aug 2003 @ 11:39am

    No Subject Given

    Patent laws are archaic and need to change, otherwise innovation will suffer.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Patrick, 29 Aug 2003 @ 11:44am

    All browsers

    All web browsers are affected because the patent is for "...technology that allows users to access interactive programs embedded in Web pages."

    How utterly ridiculous. Too bad the mosaic people didn't just patent the web browser itself, and we wouldn't be dealing with any of this idiocy. However, as per a previous post, there could be some good that comes from this--I'm sick and tired of flash, et al.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Chad, 1 Sep 2003 @ 12:59pm

    No Subject Given

    This seems like something a smart politician should grab onto. It costs our economy when ridiculous patents like this are granted.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Bastard SAM, 1 Sep 2003 @ 6:28pm

      Re: No Subject Given

      It's really something. Micrsoft keeps losing these cases by the incompetence of their own lawyers and the industry suffers. Maybe we should sponsor microsoft's legal defense. Couldn't do much worse.

      link to this | view in chronology ]


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