The Patent Angle

Monday, April 7, 1997 by Dave Winer.

If you're a reporter digging into the WebTV/Microsoft story, there's an interesting angle being uncovered. We have a report from an unnamed industry insider, with links to IBM's very useful patent website at:

http://www.scripting.com/davenet/stories/webTvPatents.html

Two patents owned by Microsoft, two owned by WebTV, that seem, to some, to close it up for the set-top box market. With WebTV's recent embracing of Java (link on the Scripting News page), the network computer spec, along with patent protection, seems to be in Microsoft's hands.

My guest commentator says "I really thought Adobe was going to be the company that eventually dictated how computers and TV would achieve high-fidelity screen imaging. I was totally wrong. Game over, Microsoft got there first (via WebTV). And I thought Intel would have the inside track on the hardware for these very, very thin client boxes. Bill's management braintrust is working overtime, most impressive."

Another writer suggests that Larry Ellison get serious, and buy OS-9 instead of the Macintosh OS.

Lots of questions and speculation on "Mail Starting 4/6/97". If you have answers, please send email to dwiner@well.com.

Still diggin!

Dave Winer