Microsoft Patents the Crippling of Operating Systems

theodp writes "On Tuesday, Microsoft was granted US Patent No. 7,536,726 (it was filed in 2005) for intentionally crippling the functionality of an operating system by 'making selected portions and functionality of the operating system unavailable to the user or by limiting the user's ability to add software applications or device drivers to the computer' until an 'agreed upon sum of money' is paid to 'unlock or otherwise make available the restricted functionality.' According to Microsoft, this solves a 'problem inherent in open architecture systems,' i.e., 'they are generally licensed with complete use rights and/or functionality that may be beyond the need or desire of the system purchaser.' An additional problem with open architecture systems, Microsoft explains, is that 'virtually anyone can write an application that can be executed on the system.' Nice to see the USPTO rewarding Microsoft's eight problem-solving inventors, including Linux killer (and antelope killer) Joachim Kempin, who's been credited with getting Microsoft hauled into federal court on antitrust charges." Sounds like the mechanism by which Microsoft sells one version of Vista to all users, and lets users upgrade to higher-tier flavors of the OS after cash changes hands.

Comments

Huh?

[ColdWetDog]

How can they patent this? Microsoft has all sorts of prior art.

Oh, wait.

Re:Huh?

[Jeremy Erwin]

Phone calls can be traced. When I encrypt other peoples data, I prefer to be compensated with eGold.

Re:Huh?

[Jurily]

I suppose they're doing us a service with this patent. Now no one else can deliberately cripple their operating system.

Why bother? Any artificial crippling will be removed by those meddling pirates anyway, from any OS. Remember the WGA check in XP? I've never seen it.

Re:Huh?

[geekoid]

but vista had been under development for 8.

hehe, it's STILL under developed...

Re:Huh?

[jamstar7]

must hurry to the patent office! I have devised a way to get my ass sparkling clean after taking a dump using only items commonly found in the home...without using toilet paper!

Hampsters and wire brushes don't count.

Re:Huh?

[okmijnuhb]

Excellent, they finally patented the BSOD.

Re:Who cares?

[JCSoRocks]

Good point. They might as well patent forcing the system to shut down every two hours... oh, wait...

Hah! Too funny.

[Weaselmancer]

An additional problem with open architecture systems, Microsoft explains, is that 'virtually anyone can write an application that can be executed on the system.'

Well sure, let's fix that then. I have an experiment I'd like to try if this is the case.

Let's order up some Windows 7 and not pay. MS will remove my ability to install new programs on it, right?

...by 'making selected portions and functionality of the operating system unavailable to the user or by limiting the user's ability to add software applications or device drivers to the computer' until an 'agreed upon sum of money' is paid to 'unlock or otherwise make available the restricted functionality.'

Ta da! I'm now immune to viruses and worms. And all it took was not paying MS. So glad that one is finally solved completely. No new software can ever be run on my machine. I'm safe now.

Thanks guys.

Invalidated by definition

[Shadow Wrought]

I wodner if this could be challenged since patents are used, by definition (emphasis added), "To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries." Essentially by making the OS crippled they are actually regressing the useful art of the OS. It'd by like trying to patent a fridge that made its contents warmer.