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Argument Held in $565 mil Microsoft Patent Case

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the putting-off-payment dept.

Grotius writes "As reported in CNET, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (the court that hears patent appeals) heard oral argument in an appeal from a $565 million award against Microsoft for infringing patent rights held by the University of California and Eolas. The University and Eolas share the rights to a patent that they claim covers plug-ins and applets that are invoked through a Web browser. The case has broad implications for the internet -- Microsoft could be forced to change Internet Explorer and make it incompatible with some web pages. However, the issue before the court was narrow: Whether Microsoft should have been permitted to present evidence to the jury of prior art in the form of an earlier web browser called Viola created by Pei Wei."

10 of 256 comments (clear)

  1. Indecision 2004 by bm17 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ah. Decisions, decisions. I just don't know who I want to see get screwed more: Microsoft, or Eolas. I haven't been this perplexed since November 2nd.

    Still, I worry that this whole affair is going to cause Microsoft to step up its evil campaign to acquire bogus software patents. Does anyone know where the money goes if Eolas wins?

    1. Re:Indecision 2004 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
      I just don't know who I want to see get screwed more: Microsoft, or Eolas.

      If we are gonna stick with that metaphor I want Microsoft to get screwed and Eolas to get an STD.

    2. Re:Indecision 2004 by bm17 · · Score: 3, Funny

      I guess I knew that. I just had this crazy dream that someone might screw MS for $500Mil and then donate the money to EFF or University scholarships.

    3. Re:Indecision 2004 by Ithika · · Score: 2, Funny

      You're just *so* early 90s... the new speak is an STI - sexually transmitted infection.

      --
      the layman's guide to computer science
  2. incompatible by barista · · Score: 5, Funny

    Microsoft could be forced to change Internet Explorer and make it incompatible with some web pages

    They're presuming it's compatible in the first place.

  3. Judge's Name by Jazzer_Techie · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you RTFA, you'll discover that the judge's name is S. Jay Plager.
    It seems to me that someone whose opinion is guaranteed to be "Plager"-ism isn't the best person to be judging an intellectual property case.

    Sorry, I couldn't resist.

  4. $565 million? by rubee · · Score: 3, Funny

    only $565 million? just sneak into his house and scavenge his couch for change that slipped out his pockets.

  5. Re:This is very sad by LordKaT · · Score: 2, Funny
    For once, slashdot posts news for nerds, and perhaps this story does matter, yet I have no clue what it all means...

    You mean you understand the other Slashdot stories? You, sir, deserve a PhD.

  6. Excellent! by The+One+and+Only · · Score: 3, Funny

    If I'm sued for patent infringement when I punch my way out of my coffin when they bury me alive, I can mention Pai Mei's prior art!

    Oh wait, different guy...

    --
    In Repressive Burma, it's not just your connection that dies. slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=314547&cid=20819199
  7. Change? by zoeblade · · Score: 2, Funny

    Microsoft could be forced to change Internet Explorer and make it incompatible with some web pages.

    Trust me, they don't need to change IE in order to make it incompatible with a lot of web pages.