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Microsoft Applies For .NET Patent

Posted by timothy on from the my-patent dept.

Wojina writes "Microsoft has applied for a comprehensive patent on what appears to be the entire implementation of the .NET CLR (Common Language Runtime) and the framework APIs. Microsoft's CLR is an implementation of the CLI (submitted to ECMA for standardization). Does this bode ill for the Mono project? See the CNET News story." And a chaser: Nept points to this interesting Microsoft-funded .NET obfuscation project.

7 of 620 comments (clear)

  1. What a joke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Looks like they are patenting. The concept of client server computing.

    Well it looks like we all owe them everything.

    Where should we send the check?

  2. Re:hmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hell, IIS opens *all* your computing resources to the distributed computing system

  3. Other Details... by Fringe · · Score: 5, Funny
    The wide-ranging patent surely includes...
    • The Blue Screen Of Death
    • The 200-page EULA in a 5-line scroll-pane
    • Solitaire as a Productivity Application
    • FUD as a revenue-centre
    Didn't they invent Al Gore also?
  4. Raise your hand by Teckla · · Score: 5, Funny

    Please raise your hand if you thought Microsoft was going to allow .NET to be a reasonable and viable platform on non-Windows operating systems!

    All of those raising your hands, please contact me. I have an exciting opportunity for you. I'm trying to get some money out of Nigeria.

    -Teckla

  5. Re:CNET Article Text by enos · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do you honestly believe that we're going to slashdot CNet?

    --
    boldly going forward, 'cause we can't find reverse
  6. Re:Okay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Also From Mono's FAQ

    Question 666: Will Mono ever be genuinely useful enough that Microsoft takes note?

    No. Mono will be permanently between 60 and 75% complete. This should be enough to allow toy applications to run and advocates to trumpet our success, but far enough away that no Windows-oriented .NET software is ever successfully ported to Mono. Thus ensuring that Microsoft does not "cut off our air supply", if you know what we mean.

    Furthermore, we are sure that if some contributors ever bring us closer than 75-80% to source or binary compatibility with Microsoft .NET (c), that Microsoft will introduce a raft of new APIs and features ensuring that our compatibility level will drop back below the required threshold. Because Microsoft learned at the knee of IBM, we are fairly certain that they will not let their products stagnate in a manner similar to AT&T's UNIX(tm).

    We've taken our inspiration from the other wunderkind Microsoft compatibility project, Wine. As most have noticed, Wine has avoided any legal or marketing attention from Microsoft due to systematic lack of useful compatibility. If RMS be with us, we achieve the same.

  7. Re:uhhhhh by Doug+Neal · · Score: 5, Funny

    You're American, right?

    This is a pound sign: £

    # is not. It's a hash. Most Americans seem to be confused on this, I hope this post clears it up :P

    Besides, "C Pound" just sounds stupid.