“Microsoft has been granted a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on a process known as tabbing through a Web page in order to find links. Although the patent award has raised the ire of some in the open source browser community, the implications for the widely used technique are unclear. The patent (number 6,785,865) is officially titled ‘Discoverability and navigation of hyperlinks via tabs,'” Sean Michael Kerner reports for InternetNews.com. “Microsoft filed for the patent in March of 1997. It covers the process of shifting between links on a Web page using the computer’s tab button.”
“According to the U.S. Patent office, a ‘user may discover and navigate among hyperlinks through the use of a keyboard. For example, a user may press a tab key to discover and navigate to a first hyperlink that is part of a hypertext document.’ Virtually all modern Web browsers, including… Apple’s Safari, …allow for tabbing between links on a page,” Kerner reports.
Full article here.
That sucks!!!I belive in apple,though.Probably the only innovation M$ can handle anyway.
Go apple!!!!!!!!!!!!!
all except internet explorer – the patent co.’s own browser
From: notu
all except internet explorer – the patent co.’s own browser
It’s one of those things M$ has been known to do in order that they can claim “inventorship” of a product or Idea
nothing unusual here
Note that “Tabbed Browsing” is not the same thing as “Using the Tab Key to Highlight a Link”.
Microsoft has apparently received a patent for the latter, and has never developed a browser that accomplishes the former.
They ‘invented’ a browser feature 7 1/2 years ago and have failed to impliment it in any regard. Now they’ve been given a patent which they’ll surely use to stifle all those that HAVE ALREADY been using this feature for more than 3 years.
Enough money can buy ANYTHING.
Can the world wait for atleast two more years before the we are wowed with the M$ ‘innovation’ of Tabbed browsing?
[Note that “Tabbed Browsing” is not the same thing as “Using the Tab Key to Highlight a Link”.]
Ah, this is more clear. Thanks
But still, it’s been 7 1/2 years.
And really, is this going to be convenient on a page like MDN’s? Wouldn’t it be easier to click a link?
Let us be very clear.
The ‘tabs’ that Microsoft is talking about are (at least in the patent excerpt provided) are ‘tabulator’ actions. This comes from the ‘tab’ key on a typewriter where it was used, among other things, to build tables. Get it? Tables / tabulator / tab?
It has been computer practice for ages to move around on a computer screen using the keyboard ‘tab’ key.
The ‘tabs’ in Safari and other modern browsers have nothing to do with the ‘tab’ key (I just tried it in Safari). No amount of tabbing will affect the window tabs (although with a modifier key added, it *is* possible to move between hyperlinks). They are instead “a projection, flap, or short strip attached to an object to facilitate opening, handling, or identification” according to the dictionary.
My analysis: browser tabs are different than the MS patent, and at any rate, MS is going to have a lot of problems with ‘prior art’ if they choose to try anything.
Mike
g33k:
You stole my thunder. Boo. Hiss.
Mike
Something stinks in the Patent Office. What happened to the days when someone had to have a working prototype to get something patented? Heck, we all have ideas.
This is actually a matter that should concern the entire industry. Microsoft has been harvesting patents for quite a while, and I believe that their future business strategy, if their current OS and application model falters, which is probable, will be to seek revenue through litigation from those companies that actually innovate. With the over 5,000 patents currently in their portfolio, they could also act to stifle potential competitors, legally this time. This is a frightening development.
On an unrelated note, Hurricane Ivan is a few hours from landfall here in Jamaica, and we are already feeling tropical storm force winds. The power was cut as a precaution several hours ago, and as a consequence our broadband service is down. I’m currently on a dial-up connection, and I’ll try to keep all my fellow forum members up to date, depending on how long my PowerBook battery lasts, or if the phone lines go down. Ivan the Terrible is a potentially life-threatening monster, and the winds are gusting higher as I’m typing this. We’ve prepared as best we could, now all we can do is ride it out and pray.
I was unfortunate enough to be visiting Jamaica in 1988 and being caught by Hurricane Gilbert while I was living in the States; visiting Florida in 1992 and being caught by Hurricane Andrew while I was living in Jamaica; and now back living in the States and visiting Jamaica, and damned if I’m not caught by another bloody hurricane. My family calls me the “hurricane magnet”. I’ll catch you all on the flip side. Wish us well.
Yeah MDN deliberately titled this article to piss people off… dorks
corrupt:
Yes, a working prototype would seem to be necessary. Without the inherent skill and mental capacity to develop something that actually works an idea is nothing except a wish or a dream.
Why couldn’t someone patent a wormhole time travel device or some other nonexistent and fictitious contraption, wait for someone to invent a workable item, then cry infringement?
Patents ought to be specific enough to be unique, yet still allow more inventive persons to take the original concept and develop it to obtain reward for their own work.
It is not very clear from the headline what patent was granted to Microsoft. “Tabbed Browsing” means tabs within the browser window, not browsing hyperlings with the Tab button. Definately a misleading headline MDN.
In light of this development, can Microsoft also patent the Any Key?
Viridian,
Good Luck to you and your Family!
Well I don’t know about prior art, but in M$ favor, many versions of IE have utilized hyperlink navigation by the tab key. I suppose it depends on the breadth of the prior art. The “tab” key is the default key for database navigation and has been since I cut my teeth on a DEC PDP 11/44 back in the late 70s.
That was one of the few features of IE that other browsers mainly ignored. It was probably the only one I missed when Safari first came out. Safari, now has implemented it, as do many other browsers.
Zac
Veridian:
I hope, at the very least, everyone comes out of the hurricane safely.
Good luck to you. God bless!
Veridian:
I hope, at the very least, everyone comes out of the hurricane safely.
Good luck to you. God bless!
Lower taxes, get rid of the patent office! They’re idiots.
What a load of crap. Yet more MS rubbish. I’ve been using tabbing on computers since 93 when I started using Lynx on Solaris (command line).
This is as dumb as the moron from the US who patented “Ugg” boots, when they had been in use in Australia for decades under that specific name.
Viridian: come back soon buddy. All safe and sound.
Another patent story – this has got to be one of the most pathetic patents issued (using the tab key? really…).
Positioning yourself to file lawsuits against anyone using “common usage” techniques or against anyone who may want to offer any functionality around basic keyboard keystrokes seems rather petty – It makes you appear like a cornered rat trying to piece together some last minute survival plan, not the market leading “innovator” we are supposed to believe they are – I guess EVEN THEY aren’t too confident in their ability to come up with anything unique…
Veridian: I couldn’t agree more. This is dangerous. And, as Mac and PC guy stated, good luck to you! I hope all is well.
I should try to trademark the word “the” – no – wait – someone has already tried. At least THEY were not issued the trademark…
Still here folks, and your good wishes are greatly appreciated. Thank you all. Ivan is back up to a Category 5 hurricane and is currently raking along the south coast of the island. The radio is reporting that its progress has slowed, so the bastard is just sitting there stirring up shit. Kind of like Enderle, come to think of it
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” /> Just some gallows humor, this is an extremely frightening experience.
At the moment it’s blacker than Bill Gates’ heart outside. The trees that I can see are gyrating insanely, water is being pushed under the doors by the wind, and we’ve been mopping continuously for the last few hours. The yard is littered with broken tree limbs, and there is the entire top half of a large tree leaning against the north side of the house. What’s really unnerving is the continuous roar, which fluctuates with the gusts. For those of you who have visited Niagara Falls, it sounds exactly like that, but surrounding the entire house.
The situation is all the more frightening because there is no power, and we’re sitting here in the dark huddling around oil lamps. It’s like listening to a monster rampaging around in the night outside, occasionally battering the roof with broken limbs and testing the doors and windows. Thank God the roof is still holding up.
I’ll give you an update in a few hours.
M. T.+MacPhee wrote: The ‘tabs’ in Safari and other modern browsers have nothing to do with the ‘tab’ key (I just tried it in Safari).
Actually, it is implemented in Safari. You just have to go the the Keyboard & Mouse pref pane, the Key board Shortcuts tab, and turn on full keyboard access.
I do not see how MS could be awarded this patent when it could be proven that they have not developed nor implented what they have patented. Companies like MS disgust me.