Sent: September 01, 2003 5:22 PM
Subject: [wdvltalk] Re: watch this space: changes to IE?
<snip> >This ruling will only affect those that use M$ specific
>plug-ins, applets, and scriptlets that take advantage of the Eolas
code.
Could you clarify this a little? From what I have read, I don't
understand
why the Eolas patent doesn't apply to other browsers that can use
plugins
or applets--like Netscape.</snip>
Reads like the suit is against Microsoft to me, you need to install a
different Flash plug-in for other browsers like Opera and Firebird etc.
and with stuff like Java of course can just write your own "plugin".
Near as I can tell (IANAL) the way their patent reads Eolas has only
patented *one* particular way to have a browser treat an outside program
such as a plug-in applet or scriplet, and M$ chose to use theirs without
paying them for the priveledge was the basis for the lawsuit.
<snip>The Eolas press release certainly doesn't give
the impression that their patent applies only to Internet
Explorer......The Eolas '906 patent was granted by the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office on November 17, 1998, for creation of the first browser
system that, for
example, allowed for the embedding of small interactive
programs....:</snip>
That's because it's a press release imho, reading the actual patent
you'll see that "embedding" goes much further back than 1998 and has
references to things like: Hansen, Wilfred "Enhancing documents with
embedded programs: How Ness extends in the Andrew ToolKit", IEEE
Computer Language, 1990 International Conference."
Haven't gone too far back researching this afternoon, but think
Netscape's way of using plug-ins etc. may have been not quite as spiffy
as the Eolas code and IIRC some articles claim that was one of the
things that helped M$ win the browser wars.
HTH!
cheers,
Mark
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