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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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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.
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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.
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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.
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No Subject Given
Patent laws are archaic and need to change, otherwise innovation will suffer.
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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.
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No Subject Given
This seems like something a smart politician should grab onto. It costs our economy when ridiculous patents like this are granted.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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