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Experts Cast Doubt On Microsoft's Patent Claims
News Microsoft's accusation that the open-source software industry has infringed 235 Microsoft patents has spotlighted a difficult issue: how aggressively should a company police itself for patent violations?
[May 16, 2007, 16:50]
Open Source Gurus Issue Patent Warning
News Two open source leaders joined Linux founder Linus Torvalds in disparaging software patents Tuesday, the newest volley in a battle that pits the cooperative programming philosophy against Microsoft. IBM donated 500 patents for use in open source...
[February 2, 2005, 8:10]
Six Patents Key To Case Against Apple And Microsoft
News The British Technology Group International's (BTG) lawsuit against Microsoft and Apple for alleged infringement of its software technology, filed on Tuesday, hinges on six patents. A second, separate, suit alleges infringement of Teleshuttle...
[July 21, 2004, 12:25]
Microsoft's Open Source Mind Shift
News Microsoft's decision to not enforce patents on Web services standards underscores the growing acceptance of core open source tenets. But the promise not to assert patents could be… extended from current Web services standards, said Michael Jones...
[September 15, 2006, 14:20]
Lawyer: Microsoft Patent Claims Won't Affect UK
News Microsoft's claims that open-source software infringes its patents do not apply in the UK, according to a top lawyer. Microsoft has said it will not sue for now over the patents, which it has not revealed by name.
[September 14, 2007, 12:45]
Linux Users Could Face European Patent Threat
News Linux users in the UK could face a greater threat from Microsoft than previously thought, but experts agree that British open-source users are in far less danger than US users from Microsoft's claim that open-source software infringes its patents.
[September 19, 2007, 17:34]
Microsoft Hit With $521m Explorer Fine
News A federal court in Chicago has ruled that Microsoft must pay $521m (£325m) to a Web technology company and the University of California, after finding that the software giant's Internet Explorer infringed on their patents.
[August 12, 2003, 8:45]
Microsoft Denies Ballmer Linux 'warning'
News At the Microsoft's Asian Government Leaders Forum in Singapore, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said that Linux violates more than 228 patents and that companies will be at risk of legal action if they use Linux, according to Reuters.
[November 23, 2004, 16:05]
Microsoft Loses File-system Patent Claims
News The US Patent Office has rejected two Microsoft patents over the FAT file format, but the software maker said on Wednesday it's not ready to give up its battle to protect the widely used method for storing data.
[October 6, 2005, 9:05]
Microsoft Patents May Threaten Open Source
News Members of the open-source community are becoming increasingly concerned by ongoing moves from Microsoft to acquire a range of software patents that the company can potentially use down the line to attack and try to restrict the development and...
[August 29, 2001, 9:14]
Gates Wants More Patents For 'important' Work
News In addition to patents related to XML and other software technologies, Microsoft has received some unusual patents in the past year including one for a method for using human skin to transmit power and data and one for a new type of apple although...
[July 30, 2004, 10:50]
Microsoft Defeat Stirs Patent Concerns
News Eolas originally filed suit against Microsoft in 1999, alleging that the software giant infringed on its patents when enabling the Internet Explorer Web browser to use plug-ins and applets. Eolas Technologies, a University of California spin-off...
[August 14, 2003, 14:55]
Row Erupts Over Software Patent Directive
News The European Commission's directive on software patents has come under severe criticism for bowing to the needs of big business at the expense of small software developers and consumers. The directive is seen as a crucial test of the European...
[February 21, 2002, 16:50]
Net Patent Could Derail Tech Titans
News The payout in the game could be sizable, and Northrup isn't the only contender coming forward to claim that Microsoft is infringing on patents as the software giant moves to launch its .Net services. While it is unclear how much credit is due...
[October 30, 2001, 9:01]
Novell Joins EFF For Patent Reform
News Microsoft fanned the flames further last week by declaring that Linux and other open-source software infringed 235 Microsoft patents, though it didn't say which specific patents. Facing criticism for its patent pact with Microsoft, Novell on...
[May 24, 2007, 10:29]
Microsoft Wins Final FAT Battle
News Two patents covering one of Microsoft's main Windows file-storage systems are valid after all, US federal patent examiners have decided. All along, Microsoft voiced confidence that the patents would be upheld.
[January 11, 2006, 14:35]
XML Patents 'of No Significance' - Microsoft
News As previously reported, Microsoft has filed applications for numerous XML-related patents in the US, Europe and New Zealand. Microsoft spokesman Mark Martin said the company couldn't comment on how the patents, if granted, might be applied or...
[January 27, 2004, 9:30]
Regulator Asked To Revoke Windows Patent
News The Public Patent Foundation on Thursday asked the US Patent and Trademark Office to revoke one of Microsoft's patents related to the FAT (File Allocation Table) file system, the older of two main systems used by Windows to store files.
[April 19, 2004, 13:00]
Let Those Without Sin Cast The First Stone.
Talkback As for software patents in general. From early on warnings have been uttered that software patents would be used as weapons in an arms race. There's nothing to gain with software patents. Not that software patents will impact Open Source solutions.
[May 18, 2007, 0:41]
Microsoft Walks The Patent Tightrope
News The basic XML description is freely published and open to anyone, but the software Microsoft and others are building to exploit XML isn't, leading to a growing list of granted and pending patents covering methods for manipulating XML data.
[February 4, 2004, 9:00]
