Microsoft Applies to Patent RSS in Vista

Cyvros wrote in with a link to Wired's Monkey Bites blog, which is featuring a post on Microsoft applying for a patent on RSS. As the article points out, this isn't as crazy as it seems at first blush. From the wording of the application, post author Scott Gilbertson interprets their move as a patent on RSS only within Vista and IE7. From the article: "The big mystery is what Microsoft is planning to do with the patents if they are awarded them. The sad state of patent affairs in the United States has led to several cases of Microsoft being sued for technologies they did arguably invent simply because some else owned a generic patent on them. Of course we have no way of knowing how Microsoft intends to use these patents if they are awarded them. They could represent a defensive move, but they could be offensive as well -- [self-described RSS inventor Dave] Winer may end up being correct. It would be nice to see Microsoft release some information on what they plan to do with these patents, but for now we'll just have to wait and see whether the US Patent and Trademark Office grants them."

Wheel

[aedan]

Patent on the wheel can't be long in coming.

Winer claims to have invented RSS....

[topham]

and nobody has bothered to dispute it because who the hell would want to claim such a convoluted design as their own?

Oh Yeah?!

[Greyfox]

Well I'm going to patent the 8.3 naming convention in the FAT filesystem! How do you like THEM apples?

Re:Wheel

[DodgeRules]

> Patent on the wheel can't be long in coming

... only within Vista and IE7.

Re:Oh Yeah?!

[leeosenton]

but them Apples don't even use 8.3 file names...

Hmm, I wonder...

[Jugalator]

I can't say I'm sure why Microsoft patent RSS-in-IE7, but I still hear Admiral Ackbar breathing behind me...

Re:Wheel

[dascandy]

Mark that message as a dupe from long ago. The wheel has been patented since 2003 something in Australia.

Oh, the mistery

[melikamp]

The big mystery is what Microsoft is planning to do with the patents if they are awarded them.

Wow. [pause] Wow. I'll take a stab at this one. They'll use it to... mmm... patents, patents... Ah! They'll use them to prohibit some party or parties to manufacture the software which is described in the patents' claims? Can I get a golden star for this one, please? It's long overdue.

Re:Wheel

[jinxidoru]

Patent on the wheel can't be long in coming.

That would save the trouble of having to re-invent it.

Re:Dave is not amused

[Anonymous Coward]

He could also be described as a self-described Winer.