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Eolas Sues World + Dog For AJAX Patent

Posted by kdawson on from the to-fix-patent-system-replace-judges-in-tyler-texas dept.

helfrich9000 writes "Eolas has filed suit against 23 companies (guess where), including Adobe, Amazon.com, Apple, eBay, Google, Yahoo!, JPMorgan, and Playboy. At issue are a pair of patents (US 7,599,985 and US 5,838,906), one of which (the '906) was successfully used in litigation against Microsoft Corp for a $565 million judgement. Says Dr. Michael D. Doyle, chairman of Eolas, 'We developed these technologies over 15 years ago and demonstrated them widely, years before the marketplace had heard of interactive applications embedded in Web pages tapping into powerful remote resources. Profiting from someone else's innovation without payment is fundamentally unfair. All we want is what's fair.'"

3 of 647 comments (clear)

  1. Re:More power to 'em by supernova_hq · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Try living in Canada. Canada ruled a long time ago that software patents are not allowed. However due to the patent treaty we signed with the US and half of Europe, now they are.

    If you are confused, this means that Canadians are not allowed to be awarded software patents (good), but still need to abide by software patents awarded to Americans and Europeans or be SUED (very bad).

    If you are STILL confused, welcome to the club :(

  2. I made a webapp with a tcl/tk browser add-on in 93 by presidenteloco · · Score: 5, Interesting

    A couple of months after Mosaic browser was publicised.

    Does that count?

    It used a tcl/tk app to draw vector topographic maps. The tcl/tk app
    commanded the mosaic browser to fetch data for the map, and to
    display accompanying text info in its browser window, changing the
    text depending on clicks in different locations on the map.

    It seemed f'ing obvious at the time.

    --

    Where are we going and why are we in a handbasket?
  3. Re:Bullshit by dissy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    You realize almost every new concept exists as technology showcases before they make there appearance in the general public right?

    Ok, I can understand why you didn't read the article, and why you didn't read the summary, but how did you manage to read the end of my post and not see the beginning?

    I'll requote for you adding the important bits:

    'We developed these technologies over 15 years ago and demonstrated them widely, years before the marketplace had heard of interactive applications embedded in Web pages tapping into powerful remote resources.

    Please insert $0.25 to play again!