Microsoft and Alacritech have settled a dispute over networking technology the software giant plans to use in future versions of Windows.
Alacritech, which sued Microsoft for patent infringement last year, announced the settlement Wednesday. The dispute centered around Microsoft's "Chimney" technology, which the software giant said it developed independently, but which Alacritech said was based on its own intellectual property.
The start-up, based in San Jose, Calif., won a preliminary injunction in April that temporarily blocked Microsoft from incorporating Alacritech's patented networking interface into new versions of Windows Server 2003 and Longhorn, the next version of Windows. "Today’s announcement ensures that Microsoft customers and partners will be able to realize improved application, server, and network performance with Windows Server 2003," Microsoft said in a statement. "As part of this agreement, we have resolved all outstanding litigation with Alacritech."
News source: C|Net News.com
Alacritech, which sued Microsoft for patent infringement last year, announced the settlement Wednesday. The dispute centered around Microsoft's "Chimney" technology, which the software giant said it developed independently, but which Alacritech said was based on its own intellectual property.
The start-up, based in San Jose, Calif., won a preliminary injunction in April that temporarily blocked Microsoft from incorporating Alacritech's patented networking interface into new versions of Windows Server 2003 and Longhorn, the next version of Windows. "Today’s announcement ensures that Microsoft customers and partners will be able to realize improved application, server, and network performance with Windows Server 2003," Microsoft said in a statement. "As part of this agreement, we have resolved all outstanding litigation with Alacritech."
News source: C|Net News.com
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C'mon, the last thing they've innovated was Minesweeper. Every product since has been imitated from something else or just plain bought-out.
Come to think of it, they didn’t even come up with Minesweeper.
Why don't you list some of those "hundreds of innovative applications". Wait, here, let me give you some reading material from others who have tried to find out exactly what innovation MS have done..
Microsoft, the Innovator
Microsoft Hall of Innovation
1. Allow technology to stagnate.
2. Finally notices when another company starts to succeed with a new or improved technology.
3. Copies the new or improved technology (sometimes buys it, but often steals it, hence all the lawsuits).
4. Fails to succeed with their often-second-rate copy.
5. Finally resorts to sabotaging the other company, through FUD, payoffs, polluting standards, and so on.
6. Gets a slap on the wrist from the courts or settles with the innovating company.
7. Profit!
8. Goto 1
They have been VERY successful.
Since you're too lazy to do your own homework. Here are some links you can check out to see some of the innovative work Microsoft has been accomplishing.
1. http://www.microsoft.com/officesystem
2. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/default.mspx (to include all server apps)
3. http://www.microsoft.com/automotive
4. http://research.microsoft.com
Now since research.microsoft.com has alot of information, here is a snippet of some of the contributions from Microsoft.
[ Windows XP ]
1. ClearType Technology
2. Source code analysis tool
3. Performance optimization tool
[ Windows 2000 ]
1. Text-to-speech engine
2. Antipiracy Features
3. Kernel optimization tools
4. Public-key cryptography
5. DirectX functionality
[ Office 2003 ]
1. Junk-mail Filter
2. Enhancements for using multiple monitors
3. Cryptography and anti-piracy improvements
4. Development Tools
5. Regional features
[ Office XP ]
1. Smart tags technology
2. Grammer Checker
3. Intellishrink
4. Notification System
5. Sharepoint Services information retrieval technologies
6. Mandarin Chinease data entry
[ SQL Server ]
1. Test tools
2. Auto Admin tools
3. Key range locking
4. Multilevel recovery
5. Mutliple storage organization
6. New OLE DB extensions
7. New data-mining techniques
[ Tablet PC ]
1. Concept of...
2. Digital Ink technology
3. Several algorithms
4. Recognition of Asian characters
5. Compression techniques
[ MSN 8 ]
1. Spam filtering
2. Multilevel parental controls
3. The dashboard interface
[ SPOT ]
1. Smart Personal Objects Techonogy
2. DirectBand
[ Xbox ]
1. IP Network probing
2. Graphics
3. Cryptography
4. Audio Codecs
I think that is a well defined list, visit the websites for a better description of each of the above...
Name one item that hasn't been implemented in other technology. The only thing MS is good at is copying and attempting to patent other people's innovations.
When you think of innovation, think of the early days at IBM, Apple, Xerox PARC, Netscape, Google, etc. It's unfortunate that Microsoft's roots are imbedded in a culture that does not foster innovation. Hell, even the company's launching product (MS-DOS) was developed by another group (Seattle Computer Products). They are in a position to do so much good but it seems that their mantra is "It Just Works".
In just the last few years, Microsoft was found guilty of criminal behavior by the DOJ, and has had to make massive payouts to Sun, Novell, IBM, Apple, and others. Those are not companies that got rich through frivolous lawsuits.
Before you accuse me of MS bashing, I’m a long time developer (cut my teeth on a PDP-11/70) and MS product client (sw engineer at a Microsoft Solution Provider), but I’m losing all hope with MS and getting sick of their behavior.
Microsoft: Innovation through Imitation.
Tell me, what company came up with "ClearType Technology" or how about the XBox Live!, show how the Tablet PC isn't innovative. How about Sharepoint Services, and a butt load of other server applications Microsoft is developing? What about their Office System, especially their lastest in development, Office 12? Sure Microsoft has imitated other features from other providers, who hasn't?
Nope... MS doesn't not innovate. It is truly sad.
The people who actual innovate a technology tool. MS couldn't even create it's own DOS.
Just the mere fact that you mentioned cleartype got a chuckle out of me hehe.
LOL, yeah, the guy that wrote that took like, 6 weeks to do it, and Gates was like, "That'll do.".
Last edited by 58940 on 15 Jul 2005 - 17:18
And by the way Treefrog get yourself a dictionary and have a long hard read because innovation has nothing to do with being revolutionary or evolutionary all innovation is according to webster is introducing something new and in that respect Microsoft has introduced a lot of new things into the market that really wasn't there in the past.
And lastly you guys haven't got a clue about Longhorn and if you really think reading these silly postings from places like neowin is giving you all the info you need you're wrong there are still hundreds of improvements and additions to the OS that the likes of Neowin have no CLUE about.
Merriam-Webster: www.m-w.com
Main Entry: in·no·va·tion
Pronunciation: "i-n&-'vA-sh&n
Function: noun
1 : the introduction of something new
2 : a new idea, method, or device : NOVELTY
- in·no·va·tion·al /-shn&l, -sh&-n&l/ adjective
Especially in that arena. Companies like Borland, Watcom, IBM, Xerox, Micro Focus, Sun, ET. Al. have done the innovation when it comes to development utilities. How can you say that XAML, C# and .NET are innovative?
XAML is just a declarative XML-based language
.NET is just a portable framework platform like J2xE
C# is just a simplified subset of C/C++/Java language
Now if MS had developed Java, relational databases, XML, or even the graphical IDE, then I'd agree with you.
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