Thanks to Hurmoth for posting this in BPN.
18 months ago, Microsoft filed for two patents relating to the organization and reading of syndicated Web feeds. Yes, that includes Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds. One of these patents covers "finding and consuming Web subscriptions in a Web browser.” Naturally, people like Dave Winer (a self-described co-inventor of RSS) is not amused. "This should be denounced by everyone who has contributed anything to the success of RSS." By contrast, Nick Bradbury (behind the HTML editor HomeSite and the RSS reader FeedDemon) believes that "companies like Microsoft often file patents to prevent having to shell out millions of dollars to predatory lawyers who haven't invented anything other than a legal pain in the ass."
In actuality, Redmond filed for the patents on June 21, 2005 but they have been made public by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today. RSS is easily the standard for many Internet users who want to quickly skim through the latest headlines of their favourite websites.
News source: c|net's News.com
18 months ago, Microsoft filed for two patents relating to the organization and reading of syndicated Web feeds. Yes, that includes Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds. One of these patents covers "finding and consuming Web subscriptions in a Web browser.” Naturally, people like Dave Winer (a self-described co-inventor of RSS) is not amused. "This should be denounced by everyone who has contributed anything to the success of RSS." By contrast, Nick Bradbury (behind the HTML editor HomeSite and the RSS reader FeedDemon) believes that "companies like Microsoft often file patents to prevent having to shell out millions of dollars to predatory lawyers who haven't invented anything other than a legal pain in the ass."
In actuality, Redmond filed for the patents on June 21, 2005 but they have been made public by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today. RSS is easily the standard for many Internet users who want to quickly skim through the latest headlines of their favourite websites.
News source: c|net's News.com
on a side note. How come a company can file for patents even after several other companies have been using the concept covered by the patent?
on a side note. How come a company can file for patents even after several other companies have been using the concept covered by the patent?
They're meant to declare/not patent things that have prior art. For example, a 30 second search for "rss feed reader" found "FeedReader 2.5 Alpha 522 (2003-02-20 16:00)" on sourceforge. Thats considerably earlier
If prior art is discovered after a patent issues, it can be used to invalidate the patent. This can be done by a reexamination proceeding in the U.S., or an opposition proceeding in Europe or Japan.
And also not in a web browser...
I'm sure Opera and Firefox had RSS feed readers before July 2005. And no public versions of IE had RSS feed readers at the same time.
I'm sure Opera and Firefox had RSS feed readers before July 2005. And no public versions of IE had RSS feed readers at the same time.
Yeah but they never bought the patent.
And?
I might just pattern the use of having a "text format bar located above a text input box for a web page based forum". Maybe no one has patterned it before?
I'm sure Opera and Firefox had RSS feed readers before July 2005. And no public versions of IE had RSS feed readers at the same time.
After a quick look around; Opera did introduce a RSS reader earlier but it again was not built into the browser but the mail client; http://www.moztips.com/index.php?id=159 . I'm not sure on Firefox.
Unfortunately, this site's rules will not allow me to express my fury to its fullest
Shame on you Microsoft.
This is why I hate software patents.
Didn't they file the patent while it was already being used by nearly all portable devices?
"By contrast, Nick Bradbury (behind the HTML editor HomeSite and the RSS reader FeedDemon) believes that "companies like Microsoft often file patents to prevent having to shell out millions of dollars to predatory lawyers who haven't invented anything other than a legal pain in the ass." "
Two sides to every story. They are protecting themselves, without (I guess) any intention of suing anybody!
I'm sure if some RSS inventor started suing MS you'd all be loving it.
Grow up.
When MS do bad, I hate them as much as the next bloke, but this really isn't bad.
It is amazing what a few Billion dollars will turn you into:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/31/business...and&emc=rss
Software patents = Evil
Last edited by lbmouse on 22 Dec 2006 - 14:21
Lame, actually...
Oh i forgot people are bashing microsoft for the fun of it now.
Also this is a patent that covers viewing rss feeds and formating them inside the browser itself. Firefox at that time you needed an extension to do it, firefox didnt do it natively.
Last edited by majortom1981 on 22 Dec 2006 - 16:10
That is probably a false assumption.
Companys like Microsoft need to patent things not to sue peoples, but to protect from being sued through another patent holder that is out for money...
you like your freedom.. lol freedom of speech etc.. nothing is free, you aren't free, it all comes at a price!!!
i'm gonna file a patent for the use of the english language.. i'm pretty sure that hasn't been patented before.
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