Microsoft Applies to Patent RSS in Vista

Cyvros wrote in with a link to Wired's Monkey Bites blog, which is featuring a post on Microsoft applying for a patent on RSS. As the article points out, this isn't as crazy as it seems at first blush. From the wording of the application, post author Scott Gilbertson interprets their move as a patent on RSS only within Vista and IE7. From the article: "The big mystery is what Microsoft is planning to do with the patents if they are awarded them. The sad state of patent affairs in the United States has led to several cases of Microsoft being sued for technologies they did arguably invent simply because some else owned a generic patent on them. Of course we have no way of knowing how Microsoft intends to use these patents if they are awarded them. They could represent a defensive move, but they could be offensive as well -- [self-described RSS inventor Dave] Winer may end up being correct. It would be nice to see Microsoft release some information on what they plan to do with these patents, but for now we'll just have to wait and see whether the US Patent and Trademark Office grants them."

Comments

Re:Who has Microsoft actually sued

[MicrosoftRepresentit]

If you're looking for facts, you've come to the wrong place. If it wasn't for Slashdot's pathetic yet consistent dribbling out of tabloid anti-MS propaganda, Christmas for 90% of the Slashdot readership would consist entierly of alternately masturbating to freeze-framed Hentai, and crying into their keyboards. This is all these people have! Please spare a thought for them, don't shatter their dreams. Leave facts out of this discussion, please.

Weakened Arguments

[WED Fan]

Come on, folks. You knee-jerk, anti-MS folks jumping on this really weaken your own arguments. There are serious issues with MS and reasons to be anti. But, this is a nothing-burger compared to that. But, by focusing on this, you marginalize the real arguments. You make yourselves look like Republicans taking Bill Clinton to task for lying about a blow job.