Re: Microsoft benefits a lot by loosing (?)

If I had $40, and someone was really bugging me, I wouldn't hesitate to give
them 50 cents to go away.

-Jake



Richard M. Smith wrote:

> 
> Microsoft already controls the browser market with an estimated 95%
> share.
> 
> Trust me, Microsoft has no desire to give Eolas a half a billion
> dollars.
> 
> Richard
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: public-web-plugins-request@w3.org
> [mailto:public-web-plugins-request@w3.org] On Behalf Of Reza Roboubi
> Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 2:19 PM
> To: W3C Public Web Plugins List
> Subject: Microsoft benefits a lot by loosing (?)
> 
> 
> 
> Hector Santos wrote:
>> If it was anything else, this would be an easy patent claim to refute
>> and circumvent.  For example, a NON-WEB BROWSER that offers its own
>> proprietary component system such as our Wildcat!  Navigator.
> 
> This is exactly what worries me.
> 
> The more I read about this patent, the more I think: "why would
> Microsoft _want_ to win this case?"  Let us assume for a moment that
> this software giant lost, not because it was either stupid, or just
> plain incapable, of winning such a silly case.
> 
> It seems that they can benefit a _great_ deal by loosing.
> 
> If they loose, then some smaller third parties won't be able to
> distribute their ActiveX to IE users.  That may harm MS. But most people
> don't regularly download (small) third party ActiveX components from
> the web anyway.  Downloading untrusted content?  That's the whole
> thing you want to avoid while surfing.
> 
> The GREAT benefit to MS on the other hand, is FULL control over the
> browser market (finally!)  That feels rather cunning, don't you think?
> MS has been bombarded by lawsuits from left and right.  Now it's
> highly controversial C# must compete with a truly platform independent
> Java, running on non-MS OS's.
> 
> What better way, than to turn the legal system to it's rescue this
> time?  Now MS can go ahead and create it's own FULLY proprietary and
> closed IE, with C#, VB, and proprietary MS libraries embedded
> inseparably into the heart of IE.  Oh, the "visual display area," that
> you rightly pointed out was central to this patent, is NO more: C# and
> VB script can directly manipulate the DOM! Just like JavaScript does
> today.  And MS RULES the free world.  Use IE or die.
> 
> Unless, the W3C mobilizes it's forces, and _standardizes_ JavaScript
> into a complete programming language, to be implemented by Mozilla and
> other compliant browsers.
> 
> If we did that, wouldn't you guys benefit technically? At the same time
> of course, W3C will pursue other legal avenues already mentioned here.
> 
> ---
> Reza.
>

Received on Wednesday, 10 September 2003 14:35:45 UTC