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Mozilla Foundation Sues Microsoft Over Tabbed Browsing

Journal written by Alphager (957739) and posted by Zonk on Sun Apr 01, 2007 04:17 AM
from the total-copy-cats dept.
Microsoft Mozilla The Courts
SlashRating©
64
slashdottit! tm
According to the german tech-site heise.de, the Mozilla Foundation is suing Microsoft over the use of tabbed browsing in Internet Explorer 7. The Mozilla Foundation owns the patent 5,160,296 through one of their developers (Solomon Katz, a former Opera dev) and has begun suing Microsoft in Mountainview, California. The Foundation wants that MS immediately ceases to distribute IE 7 and pays 1.4 Billion dollars in damages. Heise reports that Microsoft has issued no official response, but is contemplating to ship IE 7 NT (no tabs).
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  • It is already April 1st in Germany (Score:4, Insightful)

    by doug (926) on Saturday March 31 2007, @06:37PM (#18560839)
    I think you've fallen for a hoax.

  • Ponies!! Ponies!! (Score:4, Informative)

    by eclectro (227083) on Sunday April 01 2007, @04:21AM (#18565101)
    I want to see some ponies! pink ones! slashdot is lame.

  • Mozilla (firefox tabs) vs MSFT (Office 12 ribbon) (Score:3, Insightful)

    by JackMeyhoff (1070484) on Sunday April 01 2007, @04:28AM (#18565131)
    This is going to have an impact on their Office 12 ribbon tab patents isnt it?

  • Patent office on crack (Score:5, Insightful)

    by MaelstromX (739241) on Sunday April 01 2007, @04:29AM (#18565135)
    Ok, April fool's joke aside, what the heck is up with that patent that it is linked to?

    Abstract: This directory tab would aid in organizing and tracking files in a suspended filing system. The quick reference directory saves the user time and provides a handy at-a-glance feature to a filing system. This directory tab is designed to eliminate sorting through a suspended folder; it allows the user to look at the directory and visually see what's in a folder. Its design also permits additions or deletions in a quick and efficient manner. The directory tab is designed to allow office personnel who are in need of a particular item within a suspended file folder the ability to date and initial the directory tab. In doing so, the next user that comes along needing the same information will be able to identify who has it in a quick and efficient manner.


    Good grief, they'll let you patent ANYTHING won't they?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by supersat (639745)
      Indeed, they will. I went to Google Patents to look at the images from the referenced patent, and on the front page, I saw a patent for... wait for it...

      A jumping snail [google.com].

      Okay, yeah, it's a design patent, but still...

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by ultracool (883965)
      The Wheel [ipmenu.com] [pdf warning]

  • So, remember folks (Score:3, Funny)

    by 91degrees (207121) on Sunday April 01 2007, @04:31AM (#18565143) Journal
    If you want to be corporately evil without the hoards of geekdom realising it, be evil on April the first.

    Today is the day when Microsoft could start a hostile takeover of every linux company, and Google could announcetheir new policy of "Hang it, we'll start worshipping satan", without anyone being the wiser.

  • Good day (Score:5, Funny)

    by SolitaryMan (538416) on Sunday April 01 2007, @04:37AM (#18565187) Journal
    I always thought April 1st is the best day for suing someone :)

  • OK! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Centurix (249778) <mrjolly@optusn e t . c o m . au> on Sunday April 01 2007, @04:40AM (#18565207) Homepage
    I knew keeping my Netscape shares would pay off one day!

  • No hoax foax (Score:5, Funny)

    by Joebert (946227) on Sunday April 01 2007, @04:44AM (#18565231) Homepage
    It's no hoax folks.
    April Fools' day was moved to April 2nd when the United States adjusted Daylight Savings Time this year.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Killjoy_NL (719667)
      Best comment so far, Cheers :D

    • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      I thought EVERY day in the USA was fools day what with Bush being President.

  • Opera ? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Monsieur_F (531564)
    I discovered tabbed browsing with Opera. Was Mozilla really the first to implement it?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by dsoltesz (563978) *
      Opera had it long before any other browser, so I had my hackles up when this popped up in the RSS feed. Discovering that it's all a lame-ass April Fool's hoax just disappointed me to the point I'm considering turning off all my computers for the next 21 ho

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by unapersson (38207)
        "Opera had it long before any other browser, so I had my hackles up when this popped up in the RSS feed."

        No it didn't, Netcaptor did. And if you search google groups you'll see people asking for tabbed browsing in Mozilla like in Netcaptor. Not Opera. Oper

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Nurgled (63197)

          I may be remembering wrong, but if I recall correctly Opera 5 was the first version to allow you to have both multiple windows and multiple "tabs" (which were of course really MDI child windows) at the same time. Opera 4 allowed you to choose either an MDI

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by MadJo (674225)
      RTFS (Read the fine summary):

      The Mozilla Foundation owns the patent 5,160,296 through one of their developers (Solomon Katz, a former Opera dev)
      btw, did you look at today's date? :)

  • wtf??? (Score:2, Funny)

    by sharperguy (1065162)
    wtf???

    I own the patents to jokes like this!!!

    /me goes off to sue /.

    :P

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Opportunist (166417)
      Quick! People, quick! Here he is! The first one to make really lame ass jokes! He invented them! He started the avalanche! Slashdot him! Slashdot him!
  • The schaedenfreud from a move like this would be most deserved on the Monopoly, but of course, noting the date, one can't help but laugh and wish it were true. Good story.

  • Thank God Its Sunday (Score:4, Insightful)

    by davmoo (63521) on Sunday April 01 2007, @06:26AM (#18565635)
    I'm glad April 1st is on Sunday this year. That way we don't have to worry about real news getting ignored and overlooked because Slashdot editors are too busy thinking up an entire day of bullshit stories.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by fbjon (692006)
      ACtually, they haven't thought up a single one yet. Only reported on other stories, just like normal.

  • No! (Score:3, Funny)

    by turing_m (1030530) on Sunday April 01 2007, @06:31AM (#18565657)
    Mozilla should hold out for...

    One hundred billion dollars!!!

  • This had me fooled for a minute. I was screaming "Noooooooo! Mozilla, you're playing with fire!" After all, if Mozilla really had such a patent, they'd do well to save it for defensive purposes.

    I haven't hit the sack yet, so it didn't quite sink in t

  • :-) and cat did not get my tongue.
  • Great. Make the lawyer's rich. This is like a little British boat moving close to Iranian waters. Really.

    It's the excuse Microsoft needs to start their barrage of litigation. They have lawyers. They have money. Guess who doesn't?

    Ballmer's been waiting for
  • Heeee's baaaack!
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