Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Microsoft Applies For Patent On Private Browsing

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the mine-mine-mine dept.

PhilDEE writes "Microsoft is in the process of applying for two patents for a private browsing mode in their next version of Internet Explorer — a feature already present in Safari, among other browsers."

9 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. Typical .. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    1. Search for useful features already in use by other products
    2. Patent the unpatented
    3. ???
    4. PROFIT $$

  2. Microsoft: by Inglix+the+Mad · · Score: 5, Funny

    We didn't make it first, but that won't stop us from trying to patent it!

    --
    People say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Why? Is there any shortage of bad ones?
    1. Re:Microsoft: by V!NCENT · · Score: 5, Funny

      Mister Ballmer, this is our lawyer. Our Lawyer, this is mister Ballmer. (Nice to meat you). Uhhhhh we have this little piece of paper that shows evidence that we made it first. It is called prior art. Something you are probably familiar with. Uhhhhm... err... it basically come down to this -"Hey can I just like... interrupt for a bit? Heh. Can't we make a settlement?" - sure what's on your mind -"Well we, ofcourse, have a lot of money, so if you can keep this, you know... quiet than we are uhm... sort of 'willing' to give you a, what we like to caaaall, compensation of some sort?" - yeah, sure.

      --
      Here be signatures
    2. Re:Microsoft: by Godji · · Score: 5, Funny

      Nice to meat you

      Given that you're talking about lawyers, I don't think that's a spelling mistake...

  3. Trademarks, not patents! by LO0G · · Score: 5, Informative

    They aren't patent applications, they're trademark applications. Check the source

    BIG difference.

    Patents==Bad and subject to prior art.
    Trademarks==Good, and not subject to prior art.

    1. Re:Trademarks, not patents! by Theaetetus · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Trademarks can be very valuable, not just to the company, but to the consumer - if I go to BestBuy to buy a television, I can only see the feature list and the picture quality. They tend to frown on me cracking it open and seeing what quality of components were used in the power supply, for instance.
      The trademark identifies the manufacturer, and their reputation gives me an indication of the quality of hidden components. If it's a Sony, it'll probably hold up for a while - if it's an apparently-identical Daewoo, it'll probably die the day after the warranty runs out.

      Your point about common words and colors is valid, but that just means there needs to be better inspection, auditing, and reexamination procedures - not that trademarks aren't good in general.

    2. Re:Trademarks, not patents! by Tenrosei · · Score: 5, Informative

      HUADPE thank you! People are idiots even if you trademark a word like yellow to a new watch. Your trademark is limited to the product you are calling yellow so someone else can still have a yellow trademark on a new type of telephone, or trademark yellow as a new type of hat.Also, "If a court rules that a trademark has become "generic" through common use (such that the mark no longer performs the essential trademark function and the average consumer no longer considers that exclusive rights attach to it), the corresponding registration may also be ruled invalid." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark

  4. ignoring the patent isssue by larry+bagina · · Score: 5, Funny

    putting a private browser mode on IE is like putting a shit filter on your ass. Or a lameness filter oin slashdot.

    --
    Do you even lift?

    These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

  5. Summary and Article WRONG by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is all wrong. Microsoft did not apply for patents, they applied for trademarks for the names they're giving the features, namely "ClearTracks" and "InPrivate". Unless you can find existing use for those names in privacy software you're not likely to find any objections to the trademark applications. Trademarks are not a claim of invention and in no way prevent others from implementing the exact same ideas or algorithms. They're simply a claim to a name in a specific context.

    Even the original blogger got it right:

    http://www.istartedsomething.com/20080820/microsoft-hints-private-browsing-feature-ie/

    I don't expect Slashdot to actually fix the summary, though. The word "patent" will generate a lot traffic, whereas everyone will simply yawn over "trademark".