What ARE Microsoft up to? Patents on RSS, CMDB, IT operations... Can they get away with this?

The IT Skeptic recently reported on Microsoft's attempts to patent CMDB and other obvious concepts. Now ZDNet reports they are trying to patent RSS too. This smacks of the lunacy that only lawyers can generate, but what if they actually got away with it? I can believe that as an organisation they are megalomaniac enough to think they can.

Certainly the US Patent system is in sufficient disarray that they just might.

Make a noise. Have your say. Get this sneakiness out into the light of day.

Comments

Maybe everyone should thank

Maybe everyone should thank Microsoft? With a Microsoft fence around RSS the cutting edge players will be looking over the horizon the next advancement. Onward!

Covering themselves

Microsoft is just trying to cover themselves. They would prefer not to get sued if someone else gets a RSS patent.

If you never ask, she'll never say yes.

(Fill in better metaphor here)

Scott

to establish their own history as a defensive legal tactic

So it's just to show their own "prior art"? to establish their own history as a defensive legal tactic? Makes sense...

All those who trust Microsoft not to complete the patent claim and then use it against their competitors say "aye".

Not good

Maybe Microsoft has a new business model: sue

http://bink.nu/Article9160.bink

"Microsoft filed suit against Alcatel-Lucent in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, claiming the French company is infringing on 10 of its patents involving future methods for transmitting combined voice and data messages."

I agree more than ever with your original post.

Scott

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