- From: Richard M. Smith <rms@computerbytesman.com>
- Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 17:08:47 -0400
- To: "'Public-Web-Plugins@W3. Org'" <public-web-plugins@w3.org>
Because Microsoft has $40 billion in its bank account, the 50/50 odds are very managable. However, for a small-to-medium size company that depends on ActiveX technology to be present in Internet Explorer, these kinds of odds are pretty scary. For this judgement to be reverse, someone is going to need to find prior art. When looking for prior art, it's important to read and understand the claims in the Eolas patent. Here's the patent description: http://164.195.100.11/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL& p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1='5838906'.WKU.&OS=PN/5838906 &RS=PN/5838906 The patent was filed on October 17, 1994, so prior art before October 17, 1993 will invalidate the patent. Prior art between October 17, 1993 and October 17, 1994 may invalidate the patent. Richard -----Original Message----- From: public-web-plugins-request@w3.org [mailto:public-web-plugins-request@w3.org] On Behalf Of Stolowitz, Micah Sent: Friday, August 29, 2003 4:35 PM To: Public-Web-Plugins@W3. Org Subject: RE: Appeal will follow Doubtless an appeal will follow in the Eolas case (to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, as in all patent cases). Patent infringement judgments are reversed (overturned) in fully 50% of the cases appealed (or more, depending on who you ask, and how you interpret the statistics). That will take a year or more. -Micah
Received on Friday, 29 August 2003 17:08:54 UTC