There was a storm of some sort in the net world when Microsoft announced that it has filed two patents for the RSS feeder. There was huge cry and criticism of the Microsoft’s this move.
The patent was filed about 18 months back in 2005 when Microsoft announced that it will integrate RSS feeders in its coming Internet Explorer and also in its new OS Vista.
Patent application says “A content syndication platform, such as a web content syndication platform, manages, organizes and makes available for consumption content that is acquired from the Internet”.
RSS feeders are of various standards form Really Simple Syndication RSS 2.0 to Rich Site Summary (RSS 0.91; RSS 1.0) and RDF site Summary (RSS0.9 and 1.0).
Now what Microsoft is asking for is to patent the RSS 2.0 version.
This incorporation of technology in the web browser and Vista will allow the user to easily manage various feeds that they are subscribing to.
Application Program Interface(API)in Vista/web browser will allow whole gamut of application in OS to interact and update themselves with various RSS feeds without the need of user.
Why this cry of foul play?
RSS is used by various online sites, podcasters and news publishers to keep the subscribers on various free applications updated about new posts.
If these patents were granted it will cover “finding and consuming Web subscriptions in a Web browser and the second application will help in content syndication platform a system that will break down feeds for the consumption of various applications in the OS.
The critics are pointing out that these patents are far too wide in nature but Nick Bradbury creator of RSS feed reader FeedDemon says that although these patents are questionable but are in response to US patent laws and
Companies like Microsoft often file patents to prevent having to shell out millions of dollars to predatory lawyers who haven’t invented anything other than a legal pain in the ass.
While Dave Winer wrote in his blog that these patents would have been great if Microsoft had invented the RSS feeder but that is not the case. He goes one step further and presumes that if patents are granted the Microsoft can even charge people for using RSS feeds and wants the net users to denounce such move.
Via: Allheadlinenews / Newscom
