Mozilla Foundation Sues Microsoft Over Tabbed Browsing

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).

Comments

It is already April 1st in Germany

[doug]

I think you've fallen for a hoax.

Re:It is already April 1st in Germany

[Alphager]

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

Ponies!! Ponies!!

[eclectro]

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

Re:Ponies!! Ponies!!

[Linker3000]

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

Re:Ponies!! Ponies!!

[Lars T.]

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

Mozilla (firefox tabs) vs MSFT (Office 12 ribbon)

[JackMeyhoff]

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

Patent office on crack

[MaelstromX]

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?

So, remember folks

[91degrees]

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.

Re:Mod me insightful for no real reason

[Anonymous Coward]

Apparently not.

Good day

[SolitaryMan]

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

Re:SlashRating

[intercodes]

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 :)?

OK!

[Centurix]

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

No hoax foax

[Joebert]

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

Re:No hoax foax

[Anonymous Coward]

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

Re:Mod me insightful for no real reason

[Ilgaz]

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 :)

Thank God Its Sunday

[davmoo]

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.

No!

[turing_m]

Mozilla should hold out for...

One hundred billion dollars!!!