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Eolas vs. Microsoft Verdict Stands, Despite ReExam

Posted by simoniker on from the big-webbing-deal dept.

theodp writes "A federal judge on Wednesday upheld a jury's $521 million verdict against Microsoft in the high-profile Web browser patent infringement lawsuit, denying Microsoft's motion to suspend a decision until the USPTO completes a reexamination of the patent. Eolas was also awarded prejudgment interest of $45 million. An injunction against future sales of IE that contain technology based on Eolas' patent was also granted, but put on hold pending an appeal."

6 of 55 comments (clear)

  1. Does this mean ... by craigmarshall · · Score: 5, Interesting

    An injunction against future sales of IE that contain technology based on Eolas' patent was also granted, but put on hold pending an appeal.

    Does this mean that distribution of IE (with ActiveX enabled) may be made illegal? Doesn't Windows Update, Flash, Java , Director, etc. need ActiveX to work?

    If this is the case, what if this patent-holding company decides to do the same to Mozilla, Konqueror, etc.? Are we screwed?

    Craig

    1. Re:Does this mean ... by rcpitt · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It sounds to me like EOLAS has finally done what the DOJ and all the security experts in the world have wanted to do for years - remove IE from its tight integration into the OS and stop IE and all of the various things it is included into from executing insecure code without any user interaction. I expect my customer support load will go down :)

      --
      Been there, done that, paid for the T-shirt
      and didn't get it
  2. on a more serious note... by BlackIce_101 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    isn't it funny how microsoft is constantly in court, regularly the loser, and yet never seems to run out of ways to appeal, postpone, invalidate, and generally weasel out of every possible negative consequence to it's actions? Or maybe infuriating would be a better choice of words...

    --
    The only certainty in life is death... and buffer overflows for some strange inexplicable reason...
  3. This is extremely good news for us by 0x0d0a · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is almost ideal news for the typical Slashdotter.

    First, the existing patent system is widely complained about. This patent probably shouldn't have been granted in the first place. However, if Microsoft had won this case, all that would have happened is that this particular patent would have been invalidated. Now, a major tech company just took a half million dollar loss because the PTO is using silly rules. The tech industry now has serious reasons to argue for modification of tech patents. Microsoft's patent portfolio is doubtlessly valuable in terms of preventing newcomers from entering the market, but there's a significant question as to whether it's worth half a billion dollars (plus all the other copycats that are likely to run out and start suing large companies).

    Second, someone had to take a nasty hit to get business folks upset about the state of things. And who would we rather have take the financial hit than Microsoft?

    Best patent news I've heard in a long time.

    I hope Eolas leaves Mozilla alone (well, AOL).

    --
    May we never see th
  4. Oh dear by Curtman · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This patent is a carte blanche for Eolas to sue pretty much anyone they choose. I don't see how Mozilla's plugins, and extensions are any different from what they are suing Microsoft over.

    Someone please correct me, I sure hope I'm wrong.

    It causes me great pain to be on the side of Microsoft in this issue. Damn you Eolas.

  5. Re:Eolas In Patent Talks With Linux Community by the_womble · · Score: 2, Interesting

    They have every reason to allow co-operate with open source deveopers. They can not make money from open source, so if they enforce the patent the result will be that developers will work around it, and the last thing they want is the emergence of alternative.