Microsoft WMV In Patent Trouble?

thpr writes "According to rethink, Microsoft may be violating patents in their Windows Media software. Apparently, the VC1 standard (from The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers), which has been pushed by Microsoft, depends on patents owned by other companies - more than likely, those that have patents used in the previous MPEG standards. According to the sources in the story, both Sony and Philips may take the case to court, rather than continuing negotiation. As they point out in a later update, Sony might be pleased to have a say in the competing HD-DVD format. Is this a 'major speed bump to Microsoft's dominance of digital media markets'?" Well, the answer, IMHO, is probably not - this is a negotiation issue. But this is a wonderful example of how intertwined legal & software issues can become.

Comments

Ban WMV, bring back hanging for the creators.

[t_allardyce]

WMV is an absolutely disgusting format - not only does it not work with virtually any video editing software (because of the license) its stuck to Microsofts crappy decoder that can barely seek through files or rewind. WMV is often used by Iraqi beheading groups for their little sick games, which just goes to show the mind-set that uses it. To add insult to injury, perfectly good video cameras which store their video in the wonderful MPEG-2, won't let you get at that unless there crappy downloading program converts it to WMV for you!! a fucking joke.