Eolas v. Microsoft: who wins, and at what cost to us?

tertius · #1 (**permalink**) 10-16-2003, 03:05 PM

This lawsuit over a claimed patent infringement may have significant impact on the future of web design and the Internet as we know it. The W3C has convened a committee to look into whether or not changes to the underlying structure of HTML/XHTML code, depending on whether the initial verdict in August for Eolas is upheld or overturned on appeal.

What's your take on the impact of this case? Who's the villain in this case as far as the impact to the Internet community is concerned: Microsoft, Eolas, or ???

What impact will a particular final judgment (for Eolas or for Microsoft) have on you and your Internet-related business? Please post your predictions on the future of website coding and functionality if either Eolas or Microsoft has their way in this case!

tertius · #2 (**permalink**) 10-16-2003, 03:34 PM

(deleted post intended for different forum)

cyanide · #3 (**permalink**) 10-16-2003, 04:11 PM

Do you have a link to more info? eg) an article

tertius · #4 (**permalink**) 10-16-2003, 04:35 PM

Cyanide,

The few articles I read were rather polarized in their views, which got me thinking about posting the poll here and checking for WPW community impressions.

Since I was trying to stay neutral as well as wanting to see how many of the Forum readers were aware of any of the implications of the suit I didn't post article links.

A Google search ("Eolas v. Microsoft") turns up ~6930 pages; searching on "Eolas vs. Microsoft" turned up ~6350 pages; "Eolas patent" turned up 22,900 pages ("Eolas patent infringement" had ~8,000 pages)--it wouldn't be hard for an interested person to find relevant information on this subject! ;^D

-Tertius

vwebworld · #5 (**permalink**) 10-17-2003, 10:46 AM

Unfortunately, it's the viewer/customer that
gets hurt in all this!

If everything continues as is (no reversal on appeal,
or compromise) a lot of money and time will be
spent revising websites - so that viewers will
not be inconvenienced by a pop-up "continue".

There's some discussion about it here at Total-Impact.

And there are some "work arounds" being developed.

It's going to cost businesses and people real $$$
to "fix" their websites.

~Roland

Narasinha · #6 (**permalink**) 10-18-2003, 10:49 AM

Yet another situation where a company was granted a patent for an idea that is so vague as to be almost ludicrous. The problem as I see it is that the US Patent Office appears to not employ experts in the Internet or computer networking in general.

The patent in question, U.S. Patent 5,838,906, Filed in October, 1994, Issued November 17, 1998, http://164.195.100.11/netacgi/nph-Pa...&RS=PN/5838906, is described by Eolas as "enabling Web browsers for the first time to act as platforms for fully-interactive embedded applications. The patent covers Web browsers that support such currently popular technologies as ActiveX components, Java applets, and Navigator plug-ins."

In my opinion they may as well be saying that they invented TCP/IP and the HTTP protocol. As a matter of fact, on http://www.eolas.com/technology.html where Eolas describes their other patents, there is another one that we should all be frightened about: MetaMAP.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eolas

"The MetaMAP system pioneered the use of clickable image maps in distributed hypermedia systems. It is also believed that the MetaMAP application was the first example of an "open-linking" hypermedia navigator, since it employed link references external to any single database.
.
.
.
The patent also covers image space collision detection technology believed to be currently in widespread use throughout the computer game industry."

Get ready for another big law suit. Looks Like Eolas will end up suing the entire IT industry because they invented the world wide web and computer video games.

And on a final note...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eolas

"Eolas stands for "Embedded Objects Linked Across Systems"and is also the Gaelic word for "Knowledge" Eolas, Web Rouser, OpenTcl, Tickle, Dark Iron and "invented here." are trademarks of Eolas Technologies Inc."

If you're an inventor, watch out for telling someone that something was "invented here" or Eolas will have you in court for trademark infringement.