The US Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from Microsoft, refusing to hear the software company's request that its liability in a patent-infringement case be limited to domestic sales of its web browser.
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As someone who despises MS's businness practices this is still bad news, since it furthers legal support for software patents.
As an EU/Canadian citizen it is equally bad news as yet another example of the US pushing the extra-territorial application of its flawed legal system.
Member since:2005-07-24
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The bashing that I'm referring to is unfounded. Take a look at the posts here. You'll see direct attacks on the entire US legal system, rather than the patent office. Looks like I'm not the one that has lost the grip on reality, but those that hijacked this thread to do nothing more than to attack something off subject.
Member since:2005-10-02
Well, I'm not a socialist. I'm a danish libertarian and as well as the US libertarians do, I consider the US Patent System to be completely broken.
However, I do believe you're right about european socialists bashing USA whenever they can. Occasionally there's even a good reason for it (but usually not).
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to obtain a judgement that Firefox isn't infringing. My understanding is that when you sue someone, you get to choose the locale for the court battle. Also Microsoft is an inviting target, removing them from the picture would help focus on the validity of Eolas' patent and eliminate any suspicions that "Microsoft wants to lose this case."
Paul G
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Microsoft contends the Eolas patent is invalid because the technology had already been developed and showcased in a May 1993 demonstration by another inventor, Pei-Yuan Wei.
Isn't this arguement a double edge sword? If MS said that Eolas patent is invalid, that means the patent they are going for is invalid too.
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Member since:2005-06-29
Member since:2005-10-02
Well, not exactly. MS is only against software patents that prevents MS to use a certain technology. MS likes the patents that prevents FOSS from using certain technologies.
Several MS patents has been stolen from earlier OS'es and even FOSS-products. Like the taskbar-button-grouping patent MS has.
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For the europeans here read this:
http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=676
and then go here:
http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/en/m/ev50/index.html
Summary:
FREE AND OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE LUMINARIES
CALL ON WORLDWIDE COMMUNITY
TO VOTE AGAINST SOFTWARE PATENTS
IN THE "EUROPEAN OF THE YEAR 2005" INTERNET POLL
Richard Stallman, Tim O'Reilly, Alan Cox, Rasmus Lerdorf and Monty Widenius endorse Florian Mueller's candidacy
"because he runs on a NoSoftwarePatents ticket,
and that is the message we want to reinforce"
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