W3C Backs Microsoft in Patent Dispute

Urges Patent Office to Invalidate Eolas' Patent

[martinibuster]

The W3C claims that the basic idea behind the Eolas patent was pre-existing, as far back as prior to the internet, and that because this pre-existing idea had never been considered, the patent should be revoked and MS let off the hook.

With any luck wiser minds will prevail and this whole fiasco will be averted. Full article in the NY Times [nytimes.com].

Registration with NY Times is required to read the article.

[martinibuster]

For those who don't care to register with NY Times, here is the W3C Press Release [home.businesswire.com].

[Josefu]

Thanks, guys : )

Goodness me, for once I side with Microsoft. Change nothing to your websites, I don't think Eolas is going to win this thing.

[DaveAtIFG]

Thanks M.B.! This is obviously an important issue for webmasters for the immediate future, but I suspect this may also establish new "case law" that will have implications for many years to come.

[MikeGale]

There's deeper issues here:

1) Patent Clerks who have the potential to foul up the world with their incompetence.

2) Judges who don't understand.

We need a way to change people who stand in the way of progress so that they become competent. (I'd prefer to see encouragement to get them up to speed before thoughts of punishment.)

[amznVibe]

"The '906 patent will cause cascades of incompatibility to ripple through the Web. Yet, it's not too late to remedy this problem. The material W3C presented in its Section 301 filing clearly establishes that the '906 patent is invalid," the W3C said.

W3C Calls for Reversal on ActiveX Patent [atnewyork.com]