Posted by Scott Laird
Tue, 27 Jun 2006 17:55:12 GMT
NewNewsWire just informed me that Microsoft has bought iView Multimedia, makers of iView Media Pro. I’ve used iView as my primary image cataloging program for over 4 years, so I’m a little disturbed by this. Microsoft claims that they aren’t going to kill the Mac version off, but, well, they’re Microsoft. They have a long history of buying companies and bending their future products towards Microsoft’s strategic needs, ignoring their existing customers.
All in all, I’m really not very worried. I’m still running iView Media Pro 2.x, because I couldn’t see the point in paying $100 or so to upgrade to version 3.x right now. I’ve been using Adobe Lightroom for most of my recent image manipulation needs, and it has enough overlap with iView that I probably won’t end up using iView much longer.
Anyway, congratulations to the iView team on their acquisition, and good luck to iView users everywhere. Hopefully Microsoft will be good for iView and its users.
Tags iview, iviewmediapro, microsoft, photography | no comments
Posted by Scott Laird
Fri, 11 Mar 2005 19:38:53 GMT
With all of the Five Years Since the Bubble Burst reminiscence articles today, I almost missed the other headline with “Burst” in the title–apparently Microsoft settled their long-running patent suit with Burst.com. Burst alleged that Microsoft stole their streaming-video technology, thinking that they could force Burst out of business for less money then it’d take to license the patent. Cringely has some details on the suit from years ago.
This was one of the two big patent suits that Microsoft has been involved in recently. The other suit was basically a submarine patent from Eolas, claiming that they owned the concept of embedding things into browsers. From where I sit, the Eolas case is a textbook example of why we need patent reform. The Burst case was different, though–it really looked like Microsoft sat down with Burst years ago, saw what they had, and then decided that the cheapest way to get their hands on Burst’s technology was to stall until Burst ran out of cash without actually ever paying them a dime. There were allegations that Microsoft had “lost” most of the email from their executives who had dealt with Burst. In general, published reports made Microsoft look about as slimy as they appeared at the height of their big Justice Department case.
I assume that the terms of the Burst settlement will be sealed, but since they’re both public companies, most of the financial details will show up in SEC reports sooner or later.
Posted in Business | Tags burst, eolas, microsoft, patents | no comments
Posted by Scott Laird
Tue, 04 May 2004 19:30:57 GMT
This is kind of weird:
Microsoft, amid an IP spree that has won the company patent protection for everything from XML dialects to video game storage methods, received a patent on Tuesday for a new variety of apple tree.
U.S. Plant Patent 14,757, granted to Robert Burchinal of East Wenatchee, Wash., and assigned to Microsoft, covers a new type of tree discovered in the early 1990s in the Wenatchee area, a major commercial apple-growing region. Dubbed the “Burchinal Red Delicious,” the tree is notable for producing fruit that achieves a deep red color significantly earlier than other varieties. It is sold commercially as the “Adams Apple.” (CNET News.com)
It’s unclear; has Microsoft decided that it’s not enough for it to compete with every other company in the computer industry, and decided to move on to agriculture, or did the US Patent Office screw up? My money’s on a patent office screwup.
Posted in Mac stuff | Tags broken, microsoft, patents | no comments
Posted by Scott Laird
Mon, 03 May 2004 18:04:24 GMT
Even wonder who has the Washington personalized license plate with Microsoft’s stock symbol? I saw it this morning on my drive to work. I’m willing to bet it’s not a Microsoft manager–the plate is attached to a mid-90s burgundy-colored Geo Metro, in need of a bit of body work.
Posted in Seattle | Tags funny, microsoft, seattle | no comments
