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Mozilla Foundation Sues Microsoft Over Tabbed Browsing

Posted by Zonk on from the total-copy-cats dept.

SlashRating© 64 slashdottit! tm According to the german tech-site heise.de, the Mozilla Foundation is suing Microsoft over the use of tabbed browsing in Internet Explorer 7. The Mozilla Foundation owns the patent 5,160,296 through one of their developers (Solomon Katz, a former Opera dev) and has begun suing Microsoft in Mountainview, California. The Foundation wants that MS immediately ceases to distribute IE 7 and pays 1.4 Billion dollars in damages. Heise reports that Microsoft has issued no official response, but is contemplating to ship IE 7 NT (no tabs).

27 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. It is already April 1st in Germany by doug · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think you've fallen for a hoax.

    1. Re:It is already April 1st in Germany by Alphager · · Score: 3, Informative

      damnit, i hoped i could get it onto the frontpage.
      you have ruined the joke! ;-)

    2. Re:It is already April 1st in Germany by karearea · · Score: 2, Informative

      Ahh the joys of global communication ... in another 2 hours 40 minutes it will be the 2nd of April ... at least in the land of the long white cloud ... others will catch up in due course :-)

    3. Re:It is already April 1st in Germany by name*censored* · · Score: 2, Funny
      Ah, but is living in the future REALLY worth the burden of having to live in New Zealand?

      (ps. it's a joke)
      --
      Commodore64_love: I don't comprehend people who're so frightened of death that they'll bankrupt themselves to stay alive
  2. Ponies!! Ponies!! by eclectro · · Score: 4, Informative

    I want to see some ponies! pink ones! slashdot is lame.

    --
    Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
    1. Re:Ponies!! Ponies!! by Linker3000 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Cue new headline "Digg sues Slashdot over patented posting method. Low submitter IQ 'cornerstone of Diggs's success'"

      --
      AT&ROFLMAO
    2. Re:Ponies!! Ponies!! by Lars+T. · · Score: 4, Funny

      I want to see some ponies! pink ones! slashdot is lame. You must not be that new here.
      --

      Lars T.

      To the guy who modded me down from perfect to terrible Karma - Apple haters still suck

  3. Mozilla (firefox tabs) vs MSFT (Office 12 ribbon) by JackMeyhoff · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This is going to have an impact on their Office 12 ribbon tab patents isnt it?

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    http://www.rense.com/general79/wdx1.htm
  4. Patent office on crack by MaelstromX · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Ok, April fool's joke aside, what the heck is up with that patent that it is linked to?

    Abstract: This directory tab would aid in organizing and tracking files in a suspended filing system. The quick reference directory saves the user time and provides a handy at-a-glance feature to a filing system. This directory tab is designed to eliminate sorting through a suspended folder; it allows the user to look at the directory and visually see what's in a folder. Its design also permits additions or deletions in a quick and efficient manner. The directory tab is designed to allow office personnel who are in need of a particular item within a suspended file folder the ability to date and initial the directory tab. In doing so, the next user that comes along needing the same information will be able to identify who has it in a quick and efficient manner.


    Good grief, they'll let you patent ANYTHING won't they?
    --
    audioLibre - freedom of music
  5. So, remember folks by 91degrees · · Score: 3, Funny

    If you want to be corporately evil without the hoards of geekdom realising it, be evil on April the first.

    Today is the day when Microsoft could start a hostile takeover of every linux company, and Google could announcetheir new policy of "Hang it, we'll start worshipping satan", without anyone being the wiser.

  6. Re:Mod me insightful for no real reason by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Apparently not.

  7. Good day by SolitaryMan · · Score: 4, Funny

    I always thought April 1st is the best day for suing someone :)

    --
    May Peace Prevail On Earth
  8. Re:Mod me insightful for no real reason by bcmm · · Score: 2, Insightful

    MEEEE TOOO! PLEASE.

    --
    # cat /dev/mem | strings | grep -i llama
    Damn, my RAM is full of llamas.
  9. Re:SlashRating by intercodes · · Score: 4, Informative

    I found out something. Try coding in large values in the URL string..

    http://slashdot.org/slashdottit.shtml?vote="BIG NUMBER HERE"

    It's interesting.

    Did I succeed :)?

    --
    The best result comes from everyone in the group doing what's best for himself and for the group
  10. OK! by Centurix · · Score: 5, Funny

    I knew keeping my Netscape shares would pay off one day!

    --
    Task Mangler
  11. No hoax foax by Joebert · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's no hoax folks.
    April Fools' day was moved to April 2nd when the United States adjusted Daylight Savings Time this year.

    --
    Wanna fight ? Bend over, stick your head up your ass, and fight for air.
    1. Re:No hoax foax by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      I thought EVERY day in the USA was fools day what with Bush being President.

  12. Re:Mod me insightful for no real reason by Ilgaz · · Score: 4, Informative

    Funny is the "metamoderation" doesn't know about April 1 and moderators will be punished to hell when this comment shows up in metamoderation 4 days later or something :)

  13. Self-referential post attempt by SamSim · · Score: 2, Informative

    This post is modded +5, Informative!

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    qntm.org
    1. Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Self-referential post attempt by saskboy · · Score: 2, Funny

      "This post is modded +5, Informative!"

      Now for a challenge:
      This post is modded +5 Redundant

      --
      Saskboy's blog is good. 9 out of 10 dentists agree.
  14. Opera ? by Monsieur_F · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I discovered tabbed browsing with Opera. Was Mozilla really the first to implement it?

    --
    McCartney fans pay bus tickets. [...] Lennon fans too, with discretion.
  15. wtf??? by sharperguy · · Score: 2, Funny

    wtf???

    I own the patents to jokes like this!!!

    /me goes off to sue /.

    :P

    --
    "sudo rm -rf your-face"
  16. Re:Mod me insightful for no real reason by Antique+Geekmeister · · Score: 2, Insightful

    No, your llama is full of RAM. And she's going to be really surprised when the crias are born. (Or would they be lambs? Maybe lias? Maybe crambs?)

  17. Thank God Its Sunday by davmoo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm glad April 1st is on Sunday this year. That way we don't have to worry about real news getting ignored and overlooked because Slashdot editors are too busy thinking up an entire day of bullshit stories.

    --
    I want a new quote. One that won't spill. One that don't cost too much. Or come in a pill.
  18. No! by turing_m · · Score: 3, Funny

    Mozilla should hold out for...

    One hundred billion dollars!!!

    --
    If I have seen further it is by stealing the Intellectual Property of giants.
  19. Re:Opera by Opportunist · · Score: 2, Informative

    You're making a serious, meaningful comment on hoax news on April 1st.

    C'mon, get into the spirit of the day and lower your IQ by 100. At least. Do like I did and soak your brain in alcohol. It really does the job well.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  20. Re:Mod me insightful for no real reason by Antique+Geekmeister · · Score: 2, Informative

    I'm not so suare: the child of a male donkey and a female horse is a mule. A female donkey and a male horse make a hinney.

    What do you call the result of a llama that's been stuffed with RAM? Maybe we need a new word: for a woolly-thinking creature that has lots of memory that can't be accessed, we could call it a reagan?