Microsoft to alter Web browser to comply with court ruling

Associated Press | October 6, 2003

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REDMOND, Washington (AP) -- Microsoft Corp. said it will make technical adjustments to its Web browsing software as a result of an August ruling that the software giant infringed on a patent licensed by Eolas Technologies Inc.

Microsoft, which is appealing the ruling and the $520 million federal jury award to Eolas, said Monday the changes will be built into new shipments of Internet Explorer - which comes with the Windows operating system - starting next year.

The browser adjustments are designed to stop Microsoft from infringing on a patent owned by the University of California and licensed exclusively to Eolas. The patent covers technology which allows Web page authors to embed and automatically start certain specialized interactive programs.

The technology allowed for the embedding of small interactive programs such as "plug-ins" or "applets," into World Wide Web documents. Such programs are central today to online commerce as they power everything from banner ads to interactive customer service.

The Explorer changes will mean an extra step for Web surfers who come to a site that employs one of the specialized programs. They will be prompted with a dialogue box asking them to allow the specialized program to run, said Michael Wallent, general manager of the Windows Client Platform.

However, Microsoft also on Monday released suggestions for how Web site authors can update their sites and avoid infringing on the Eolas patent so that users don't have to see the extra prompt, he said. Other companies, including RealNetworks Inc. and Apple Computer Inc., are similarly advising their developers on how to avoid infringing on the Eolas patent.

Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved

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Microsoft could easily afford to license the Eolas patents and save their customers the time and expense of redesigning their web sites.

[Support Free Republic]

Hi mom!

[supercat]

Microsoft could easily afford to license the Eolas patents and save their customers the time and expense of redesigning their web sites.

What exactly is the patent in question? If it's like many software patents, I'm just as glad Microsoft isn't feeding the sharks.

[GeronL]

They refused to allow Microsoft to use them, even for more money

[GeronL]

Imagine the next version of IE not allowing you to play audio or video because of this lawsuit.

[supercat]

Imagine the next version of IE not allowing you to play audio or video because of this lawsuit.

What exactly did the patent cover? My impression is that it covers certain methods of embedding objects, but not others. I'd be curious to know whether the methods that are allowed or disallowed under this patent are the ones more prone to security holes.

[GeronL]

The patent covers technology which allows Web page authors to embed and automatically start certain specialized interactive programs

I dunno. That covers a LOT of companies and websites. If a website auto launches realPlayer, Java and whatever, does it use their technology?

Are there any good alternative ways to do it?

These questions need ansewred

[Post Toasties]

Not directly related, but recently I've been having a lot of trouble with IE locking up or shutting itself down and even crashing my computer, after four years of relatively trouble free browsing (same hardware & no new recent software to blame it on either). To try to get around this, I've totally uninstalled IE6 and went to IE4 with only a slight improvement. I really don't know why IE has started acting like dog dirt, unless Microsoft deliberately programmed it to act up after a certain period of time.

It's gotten so bad that I'm now doing most of my browsing with Mozilla Firebird which is faster than IE and trouble free in this regard. Of course, there's also slow Netscape.

[TheDon]

Click to read patent

Be sure to pay Eolas the royalty. :^)

[BlueNgold]

Licensing the patent would enter MS into a contractual agreement on an issue whch it appears they are still contesting/appealing. That would provide Eolas with recognition by MS of the patent. Installing a redesign in compliance with a court order does not indicate abandonement of their legal position, it insulates them from further fines/awards in the event they lose their appeal.

[CodeMonkey]

And yet people still think that owning an idea as opposed to a very specific implementation of it is a good idea.....

[Jeff Chandler]

The workarounds are explained here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/ieupdate/activexchanges.asp.

[Bobalu]

Software patents are stupid and evil.

[HAL9000]

They refused to allow Microsoft to use them, even for more money

According to an interview with the owner of Eolas - "Our basic position is that we would like to see the technology continue to be used, and we would like to see Microsoft buy a paid-up license. ... Microsoft could settle this case today with a fully paid-up license, and that would defuse the issue for everybody. ... In general, we're willing to license the technology on fair and reasonable terms."

[js1138]

You have spyware.

[GeronL]

Last I heard about this they were saying no way, I guess money changed their minds

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The workarounds are explained here:

Everybody is going to hate these "workarounds".

[GeronL]

you need Norton AntiVirus, but it might be too late. I thin they can do a scan on their website or something... I am sure other FReeps know more about it

[Jeff Chandler]

Everybody is going to hate these "workarounds".

No problem. I plan to modularize the object and embed stuff in separate javascript files. Copy and paste. As for websites I have already designed, if any of my clients complain about MS's changes, I'll charge them to recode their sites.

As an aside, I have switched from Real Media to Flash for video presentation. With Sorenson Squeeze the quality is as good as RM or QT, the file size is very close, and there isn't the delay for the plug-in to load into memory (Flash is a very small program). Only one plug-in is necessary, and Flash is ubiquitous.

[Jeff Chandler]

I use PC-cillin by Trend Microsystems. Their free online scan is called Housecall: http://housecall.trendmicro.com/