Since it's a matter of patent licensing, unless Firefox licenses the patents MS was unwilling to, they'll have to break Firefox (and Mozilla) the exact same way if the patent holder goes after them.
This is one of those things where the only workaround is to get the web pages re-written, because the patent is on the "process", not the details. In other words, auto-starting embedded content violates the patent.
The workarounds on the web page end involve javascript and even uglier things.
Patents cover *how* something is done. And are often more than a bit vague & general about the details.
If someone patents a method or process, it doesn't matter if you discover it independently.
This patent is likely another one of the many *bad* software patents the patent office has issued in the last ten years or so.
Many of them are getting challenged by several groups. Either on the grounds that they were "obvious to one familar with the field" or because someone else did it before the outfit that filed the patent.
It's hard to track down that last ("prior art"), but it's unshakeable if you do. Proving "obvious" in court is a lot harder.
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...she said as she was on IE.
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This is one of those things where the only workaround is to get the web pages re-written, because the patent is on the "process", not the details. In other words, auto-starting embedded content violates the patent.
The workarounds on the web page end involve javascript and even uglier things.
no subject
no subject
If someone patents a method or process, it doesn't matter if you discover it independently.
This patent is likely another one of the many *bad* software patents the patent office has issued in the last ten years or so.
Many of them are getting challenged by several groups. Either on the grounds that they were "obvious to one familar with the field" or because someone else did it before the outfit that filed the patent.
It's hard to track down that last ("prior art"), but it's unshakeable if you do. Proving "obvious" in court is a lot harder.
no subject