News Microsoft's Patent Problem

From Fortune.com:

Last month, when Microsoft announced its bellwether decision to award employees restricted stock instead of options, it also made news in a federal courtroom—the kind of news you keep quiet about.

Microsoft suffered utter defeat at a crucial pretrial hearing in what appears to be the highest-stakes patent litigation ever—one in which a tiny company called InterTrust Technologies claims that 85% of Microsoft's entire product line infringes its digital security patents.

Full report here

Bloody Hell!

That should get Bill's attention!

 

Holy sweet jehosephat batman!
I wonder how much the digital rights management bit is worth to bill... Or perhaps how much it would take for him to get around their patent...
I hope they win though.

 

thats put a smile on my face

 

I bet it hasn't put a smile on the face of Microsoft shareholders or employees.

Microsoft is a key element to the industry, anything that hurts MS hurts the industry. It isn't ready yet for a shift away from MS.

 

tbh mac does a much better job at making os's for the masses, it just hasnt got the software support that ms has. if software makers made stuff work on more than one os then the industry wouldnt be in such a mess if one key player collapsed

 

Since all it is is proprietary linux?

 

yea macs are based on linux, but there ease of use is unrivalled

 

Someone agains microsoft,

But I am not sure I want them to win.....

This company was bought by Sony, Philips, etc just for the patents with the express idea of getting payment for that.

Also, suppose MS have to pay royalties or something to them, whos gonna pay ? Not MS, it will be the customers.

 

doesnt bother me, i'm a student uni gives me free copies, and i prefer linux any way for after uni. by then it will be so whide spread most things gonna be available on it

 

Get it right, Mac isn't based on Linux, it is based on Unix. Pfft.

 

Sorry, sorry. Based unix, just like linux...

 

Ok I am not a MacHead and i never will be but I am allways against blatent stupidity .... so to that note.

The Mac OS is based on the MACH 4.2 Kernel .... for you meatheads that is pretty much the standard Unix Kernel.....

Let me break it down for ya.....

Linux = Linux Kernel
SCO = SCO Kernel
Sun OS = Mach
AIX = Mach (kinda)
BSD = Mach
QNX = well ... a really oddball kernel
Mac OS X = Mach

Mac OS Is actually based mostly on a thing called OpenStep ..... The FIRST TRUE Multimedia OS

Now onto the whole patent thing....

Although the patent suit does have some interesting truths .... its not a very well founded lawsuit .... thats because the key Mechinism that was originally invented and then patented is too vauge. I can't see how this will survive an appeal .... and to be honest it shouldn't ...

Think of it like this ..... someone takes the US goverment to court because they patented the method for making paper green .... do you actually think that they should get 1 cent per every dollar... no of course not ..... this is the problem with taking tech to court .... most people have little if any understanding of technology and most every human just wants to see the underdog win.....

I hate MS ..... i mean I HATE MS .... But i hate the law in my industry even more ......

Someday someone is going to patent the idea of modding PC's and some meathead jury is going to agree .... then you will have to pay 5 cents for every mod device made ... and 20 bucks per every dremel sold.

Ok maybe thats kinda overblown .... but I hope you get my point.

 

Let's not get personal, please. Calling people meatheads or stupid for a misunderstanding isn't particuarly nice, and is certainly against the spirit of these forums.

GOO