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Microsoft's Patent Problem

Posted by timothy on Wednesday July 23, 2003 @09:18AM from the halt dept.

pens writes "Microsoft suffered utter defeat at a crucial pretrial hearing in what appears to be the highest-stakes patent litigation ever--one in which a tiny company called InterTrust Technologies claims that 85% of Microsoft's entire product line infringes its digital security patents."

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Can anyone tell me? by blane.bramble · 2003-07-23 09:23 · Score: 0, Troll

So in this case, are we for or against software patents, and if we are for them, how is this not hypocritical?
Coincidence! by The+Bungi · 2003-07-23 10:05 · Score: 0, Troll

Why, I was telling a friend just the other day that there is no such thing as a Slashdot double standard. Never. Na-ha. No way.
That $TT Monopoly by SEWilco · 2003-07-23 10:10 · Score: 0, Troll

Here come all the knee-jerk rally-behind-Microsoft comments.
Should we start practicing disparaging remarks about $nterTrust Technologies?
Re:Implications? by Mostly+a+lurker · 2003-07-23 12:03 · Score: 1, Troll

I also enjoyed reading the article. It may also have some real practical importance. SCO with a laughable case can create enough FUD to affect enterprise IT strategy. What about the risks of a Microsoft solution when InterTrust actually has preliminary court rulings in its favour?
I agree with other posters that patent law is a mess, but I cannot think of more poetic justice than Microsoft on the wrong end of a FUD campaign over something like this!