Microsoft Confirms IE Changes in Wake of Lawsuit

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Microsoft Confirms IE Changes in Wake of Lawsuit

Posted by CmdrTaco on Tuesday October 7, 2003 @01:05AM from the this-is-just-strange dept.

theodp writes "On Monday, Microsoft verified that it will be making what it calls "modest" changes to Windows and IE to meet the requirements of the jury verdict against it in the Eolas patent infringement case. Microsoft says it will finish making the changes to IE and Windows by early next year and will provide developers that use IE technology with documentation to help them modify their applications, Web pages, and browser plug-ins to work with the new plug-in scheme, which affects all Web pages that use plug-in technologies such as Adobe Reader, Apple QuickTime, Macromedia Flash, RealNetworks RealOne, all versions of Java, and Windows Media Player. A preview of the new user experience shows the user being prompted to confirm loading of each ActiveX control."

8 of 481 comments (clear)

List of concesssions by tcd004 · 2003-10-07 01:12 · Score: 2, Funny

Yeah, they agreed to a list of stuff.

tcd004
Re:Decisions, decisions. by NickFitz · 2003-10-07 01:20 · Score: 5, Funny

Actually, the dialog shown only allows you to click "OK". Who needs options when you've got Windows :-)

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Using HTML in email is like putting sound effects on your phone calls. Just say <strong>no</strong>.
Re:IE changes by Asprin · 2003-10-07 01:57 · Score: 2, Funny

Yeah, "CowboyNeal is my active-x control."

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"Lawyers are for sucks."
- Doug McKenzie
Re:uhg by RetroGeek · 2003-10-07 02:08 · Score: 2, Funny

{D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8- 444553540000}

I think you just told MicroSoft who you are.....

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- - - - - - - - - - -
I am a programmer. I am paid to produce syntax not grammar. Deal with it.
The patent system is out of control by Jotham · 2003-10-07 02:21 · Score: 5, Funny

This is ridiculous. Basically the ruling appears to state that:

Plug-ins are OK as long they don't load external data
If they do, microsoft can't load it for you without a prompt
BUT you can document.write it in and avoid the prompt
BUT only if the script is in an external file...

So the key point here seems not to be with plug-ins (which obviously pre-date the patent) but plug-ins using EXTERNAL data...
Now this just doesn't make sense. The HTML standard has ALWAYS supported full urls being used in ALL tag that can get data ie. <img src="http://external.com/image.gif"> In fact the HTML standard was written specifically so that it doesn't care if data is local or not.

So in conclusion, why would Chewbacca live on Endor... this just does not make sense... I rest my case
Re:Oppertunity Knocks by Kombat · 2003-10-07 02:37 · Score: 2, Funny

That's just untrue and false.

I hope you write code more efficiently than you write English.

if (!flag && (flag == false)) // ...

I see some room for optimization there ... :)

--
Like woodworking? Build your own picture frames.
Re:Is it just me.. by vidarh · 2003-10-07 02:41 · Score: 4, Funny

This is a patent workaround, not a "feature". It's not meant to add value. They might as well make it say "Work around broken paten system? [YES]"
Re:..And the others? by interJ · 2003-10-07 02:45 · Score: 2, Funny

Correct!

And while you're at it, we need more successful terrorist attacks, so that people will be more aware of the dangers of terror! People will give more support to anti-terrorist actions after a few loved ones have died.

</sarcasm>