One more violation. I think there is some emerit in putting all of their convictions into an online resource; I'll get busy on putting that list together. It will be eye-opening to anyone who has forgotten their history.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=K7MoAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA2&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=1_1#PPA3,M1

look at only sheet 1 to 6. (sheet 7+ is a special cdrom unit with a device in it for security.)

I looked at the patent and it is invalid. It does not apply to microsoft. And I tell you why.

The patent states making a fingerprint on the user environment.

Microsoft windows uses the hardware to make a fingerprint. Also an installation ID is generated when windows is installed based on that.
Windows can detect when hardware change occures so its very advanced.

To register windows, you need the installation ID, and product key.
And they give back a code to verify windows is activated. Also if this 'fingerprint' changes in any way in the future, then reactivation is needed. We can call this fingerprint a system hash. Installation id only changes when you force to change the product key.

THe system that the other guys have is: generate a fingerprint on the user environment, give you a serial number based on that. THe serial # also relies on the registeration details. you phone in and give the serial number, and they give you back a registeration key to unlock the software. THey require your registeation info inorder to generate a key. You use key in your software to unlock it. In a way you are kind of forced to reqister. As your registeration info is key for this system to work. (its needed on both ends).

Also when program starts, it checks each time if registeration key details matches user enviroment (fingerprint) using some method in order to run properly in full mode. THis system seems to be pretty much a one time deal thing as their is no product code.

What heppens when you need to reinstall?

Microsoft system is totally different.

Microsoft system does not require you to register your user information or credit card details etc.

An installation key is generated on install. Both this installation key and product key are given to Microsoft.

Reinstallation is possible as microsoft system relies on a product key.

Also a product key is resposable for unlocking different version level (basic, pro, ultimate) with the same software.

So you can see Microsoft system and the other guys system are totally different.

WHen the other guys system came out, you couldn't really detect hardware so the other guys system never was able to do this. THe other guys system ran under dos or old windows 3.11 etc so it was limited on the user environment.

Microsofts system is advanced in how it detect hardware, drivers, hardware chances, uniqued Ids on the processor, hardware serial numbers etc. Most of these techniques used are new generation compared to the good old days as things were no so developed back then.

THe other guys did not try to include room for the future in their patent and advanced techniques.

WHat can I say Windows is an OS, their product is for an application that runs under windows. THeir application doesn't see what windows sees.

Also for microsofts other products such as windows, well, they tie into each other. As soon as hardware chancgs my Microsoft office needs to be reactivated.

Normally I would rant on about how many Patents seem to be just ideas that someone has dreamt up.
But it would seem that Uniloc have an actual product in the market, and are actively selling the technology "to software publishers and entertainment companies including Sony." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniloc

It's interesting that they (Uniloc) have been putting their software onto magazine cover disks.

Microsoft must have thought Uniloc were giving it away, makes you think if Microsoft actually paid for the magazine?

I hear they are bigger thieves than MS :D
Window! Icon! Mouse! Touch! Motion of moving two fingers in different directions on a touch surface! Wow didn't know I could do that! thanks Steve Jobs, you truly are a God, you just made me evolve! Still can't beleive it, I can move both fingers in opposite directions and in circles too!

I know there’s little love lost between a lot of the other commenters and Microsoft, but seriously, do you see how stupid the US patent system has become? They didn’t “steal” the other company’s idea—they were probably unaware it existed, because patent law doesn’t encourage you to look—you become liable for triple damages if you do.

So they came up with the idea independently. But under patent law, that’s no defence. A patent gives you a Government-sanctioned monopoly, and you can happily squeeze others out of the market based on that monopoly.

just innovated $50Billion away. MS did the opposite.

It's normal biz practice for MS to do this. Remember Stacker? Anyway. Since other companies are also doing this (stealing ideas), it is not something unusual that MS "borrowed" an idea. The bad part is that the MS is the loudest "fighter" with the piracy. Left hand doesn't know what right does.

Is this the things people are calling "cynicism"?

If MS can steal software solutions, does that make it ok to steal MS software?

Does anyone have a full list of MS's convictions? Please post it if you do.

OK, listen, this isn't the first time Microsoft was caught doing this. Z4 is another company that also held patents related to online activation/verification of products. They contacted Microsoft and were ignored. During the trial Microsoft was councelled for numerous acts of misconduct. In the end Z4 won and only found the info that proved Microsoft knew they were violating the patent. The reason it took so long was due to some of that misconduct that resulted in Microsoft burying Z4 and the court in paperwork.

Z4 won $100 million and then the judge awarded another $25 million in special damages due to Microsoft's misconduct.

Microsoft appealed and lost. The appealed again and lost.

The result was that Microsoft was found guilty of stealing the technology that was used to keep everyone else from stealing their technology.

This case is very similar. They stole the technology that they were using to try to keep you from stealing theirs and then claimed that the patent was invalid.

This really means that when it comes to stealing (pirating) as it really is pirating other company's products, Microsoft is the biggest pirate in the world. Bar none, Microsoft has pirated more technology than any other company and probably more than most companies combined.

What does that say about Microsoft? What does it say about their claims against TomTom and against the Open Source community. Truly one must say that Microsoft is a disease upon the industry.

One word:

YES!

...a patent is invalid. Before I die I hope to see Bill Gates go to prison for 20 years for his crimes against society and Microsucks fined $500 Billion that's with a "B".

How long before someone sues the US patent office because so many patents are invalid and pointless?

It is far beyond absurd and a huge drain on business.

It has become welfare for corporate lawyers.