On Sun, 23 Jul 2000, Civileme wrote:
> Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2000 22:11:01 -0800
> From: Civileme <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [expert] Asf files
>
> On Sun, 23 Jul 2000, you wrote:
> > Anyone know where I can find something
> > in linux to play those dangbusted asf files?
>
> Not no but "hell, No!"
>
> Microshaft PATENTED the *.asf format ignoring the preexisting mpeg formats on
> which it is based. If there is ever a way to read the (decidedly second rate
> quality) Active Stream Format files, it will have to be written by Microsoft.
> Anyone writing a program to decode the *.asf files, without written permission
> of Microsoft, is an infringer.
>
> Anyway, likely the patent is crap. But the US Patent Office is the #1
> Embarassment of the Digital Age, handing out software patents with very little
> research (same staff, and ten times the workload) and letting the courts decide
> which is valid. Anyone have a spare $200 million (US) to go to court on this
> patent with Microsoft and PROVE it is invalid?
>
> And if you see words in this message I do not normally type, I think you can
> see that I am furious because I am helpless before these bozos.
>
That's exactly correct, the patent office is the legal way to get a
monopoly on anything. I'm still sorta pissed off that no other
manufacturer can make any x-jack look-alike product for lap-tops. That
sort of set the industry back many years, because almost every card you
buy nowadays has a stupid annoying dongle. That harmed innovation in that
sense, since 3com was so slow in making the X-jack for networks, and it
costs too darn much! I could go on ranting about how patents are flawed,
but that would be too pointless.
> Civileme
>
--
Regards,
Ellick Chan
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Jul 23
