Microsoft Seeks Another OS-Level Adware Patent

theodp writes "Microsoft has just published a patent application for advertising triggered by sequences of user actions, which describes how to interrupt game playing, music listening, and photo viewing with pop-up ads ('the components may be integrated directly into the operating system'). So will this ad technology get a free pass from Windows Defender?"

Hints of a Free Windows

[dsginter]

This probably means that Microsoft is preparing a "Free as in ad supported" version of Windows for the day when FOSS starts taking over (FASS = Free, Ad Supported Software).

Oh really?

[PontifexMaximus]

And here I was thinking that was considered 'BAD' by security vendors, et al. Now MS is getting a patent for what looks to me like a OS supported Trojan Horse? Lovely. Yet another reason why I have 1 copy of windows at my house, for games, that's not connected to any network while it's on, and my other 12 systems run linux. Thank Linus for choice.

Anit-Piracy Use?

[umStefa]

My initial reaction to this was along the lines of it being just another possible plan by microsoft to gouge the consumer. However what if this is actually technology to fight piracy but minimize the effect on legitimate customers.

Microsofts current anit-piracy activites (i.e. the Vista Black screen of death) can cause a legitimate customers computer to become virutally in-operable when the malfunction. Imagine the following scenario however.

You can download and install Windows without any sort of licence key for free, but you will need to live with the pop-up ads which effectivly pay for the operating system. You would still have the option of purchasing a licence and thereby getting rid of the ads.

Would this be a legitimate (i.e. not evil) use of this patent?

Re:Ummm... what?

[porcupine8]

Maybe the fact that there's a pop-up text ad for snapfish, walmart, and shutterfly photo developing hovering over the thumbnails?

Microsoft's Modus Operandi

[smclean]

It's funny to see Microsoft use these same tactics over and over again. No matter who the competitor, they leverage their control of the OS to attack their competition.

Does anyone disagree that this patent is an expression of Microsoft applying this formula to supplant Google's dominance in advertising? I'm a little dubious as to its potential threat to Google, but time will tell.

This stinks like the preparations for advertising-supported Microsoft products.

A benign explanation?

[jmaslak]

Just maybe, perhaps, this will give MS a way of going after spyware and malware authors - on the basis of patent infringement.

It might not be a patent that they intend to use, except in the courts...anything that gets rid of Windows malware helps Microsoft, after all.

Re:Anit-Piracy Use?

[JCSoRocks]

I think that something along these lines is exactly the intent of the patent. People here claiming that this is the end of windows and that Microsoft is planning on integrating this into the OS for paying customers are nuts. Corporate users, power users and novices alike would all hate it. Microsoft may be greedy, powerful, etc, but they aren't suicidal. Sorry linux fanboys... better luck next time! :)

I think so..

[msimm]

Those where along the lines of my initial reaction. Microsoft embraces piracy to gain market share. Now they are working a little more seriously to stop it but at the same time the field is slowly but surely becoming more competitive. After failing to install a (duplicate) copy of XP on my laptop I simply chose to use Kubuntu. I'm not going to suggest that this would be a typical reaction from an average user right now, but in the mid to near-term it will increase. What you suggest would be a smart compromise that would keep the revenue flowing in the right (from their POV) direction. Annoying the affluent into purchasing products while still providing a revenue stream from users who will not or can not afford the price.

Re:Are MS-users really that dumb?

[eno2001]

I don't think this is about users. Users aren't going to be Microsoft's main customers in a few years. Advertisers will and users will be the commodity. Microsoft is doing this to position itself as the next logical progression from television to the much talked about "convergence" device. Just because TV is becoming less and less relevant, doesn't mean that ads are going away.

Re:kdawson fud of the day.

[jombeewoof]

Ad sponsored software is one thing, but when I pay for a program and and updates to that program insert ads that I did not agree to view that is not acceptable.
Opera didn't just one day start showing ads when there were none before.
And ad sponsored software is usually free (beer) software. You cannot sell something, and then add ads to it with a service pack or update.
That's just wrong, and informing us of it is not FUD.

You sir, are an idiot.

Re:kdawson fud of the day.

[Shadowmist]

Interesting examples. As I recall the ad-funded model didn't work well for either Opera or Eudora. I'm not sure what the present buisness model for Opera is, but Eudora was recently released to open source and is now being developed as the Penelope project with the Mozilla folks.

Re:kdawson fud of the day.

[jimstapleton]

May I ask why you seem so certain MS is going to put this in a for-pay version of windows?

More kdawsonfud

[everphilski]

Read the patent. It uses a statistical model to analyze what the user is doing and suggest services the user might be interested in. Kinda like what Google ads does, but within a program.

The picture linked shows this in action. The user is processing images. The ad, which is enabled in the software, suggests photo development services of several clients.

From the patent,

Finally, in the screen display shown in FIG. 7, a user has navigated to a user interface 700 for accessing and viewing photos 702 stored on the user device. For example, the user may have downloaded photos 702 from a digital camera and may be viewing the photos in the user display 700. The system may determine based on these user actions that a likely task that the user would like to perform would be to send one or more of the photos 702 to an online photo development center. Additionally, the system may determine that the user does not currently have any particular online photo development service subscriptions. As such, the system has selected and presented a number of advertisements for online photo development services in a preview pane 704 of the user interface 700.

One particular application. Claiming it is 'adware' 'getting a pass from Windows Defender' is nothing but kdawsonfud, not the first and certainly not the last. All it is, an idea, not all that different from the targeted advertising provided by a certain search engine slashbots seem so quick to defend against all claims.

COME ON.

[qweqwe321]

I know there's no shortage of Microsoft bashing here, but can we please stop modding the "ZOMG MICRO$OFT WANTS TO SELL YOU ADS ON YOUR DRMED VISTA LOLZ" trolls insightful? If Microsoft starts forcing ads on you, THEN it makes sense to start screaming and bitching and moaning about evil plans. Until then, it's just one more patent.

More likely, the cable model...

[gillbates]

More likely, you'll have to pay $19.95 to download Windows Ad Supported.

If you want to get rid of most of the ads, you'll have to pay an additional $189.95. After paying this fee, you'll only see the Microsoft Premiere Vendor(TM) ads. And only every other day.

To go completely ad-free, you'll have to buy a Premier Partner Subscription, with a one-time activation charge of $399.95 and monthly subscription fee of $19.95.

Could be good thing?

[mobosplash]

Didn't macrovision patent ways around their copy protection as a way to block their use? Perhaps this patent is a weapon to prevent ad techniques like this from being used.

Re:kdawson fud of the day.

[Ash Vince]

Why the hell are so many sad fuckwits so interested in who posts crap stories?

If you are not interested in a story, fuck off and don't read it, simple.

Why posting a stupid comment slagging off the person who posted it? Unless you have nothing better to do than sit around griping and not doing anything constructive.

If you have something interesting to say, then say it. Otherwise piss off and whine to your shrink instead, at least they are paid to your anti-kdawson drivel.

Digging deeper ...

[sgunhouse]

Maybe I'm dreaming, but I think I see something different here ...

When I see discussions involving ads, who do I really think of? No, not MS - Google. Sounds to me like MS is patenting stuff that they expect Google to want.

No, MS could never sell a version of Windows with OS-level adware in it (unless they plan to give it away and pay for it with the ads, but I doubt it) so instead I see ammuntion for their upcoming battle against the still-mythical GoogleOS. If Google has to pay MS licensing fees for components of GoogleOS, then MS wins no matter which product people use.