Microsoft has applied for the patents for "finding and consuming
web subscriptions in a web browser" and efficiently consume or read
RSS feeds using both an RSS reader and a Web browser," according to
technology news site CNet News.com.
RSS is a way for the providers of information, such as news
sites, bloggers or podcasters, to tell those who have signed up
that there is new information available. Users have to install
separate software, which is available for free, to communicate with
publishers through RSS. Using this software, individuals sign up to
information feeds.
The US Patent and Trademark Office publishes all patent
applications, but only after 18 months have passed. Microsoft
applied for the two syndication patents on 21st June 2005.
"The web content syndication platform described can be utilized
to manage, organize and make available for consumption content that
is acquired from the internet," says one of the applications. "The
platform can acquire and organize web content, and make such
content available for consumption by many different types of
applications."
The patents are sure to draw fire from many of the existing
users of free RSS systems, as well as some of the people who say
they invented the technology, one of which is Dave Winer.
"Today I received a link to a patent granted to Microsoft, where
they claim to have invented all this stuff," wrote Winer on his
blog at Scripting.com on the release of the news. "Presumably
they're eventually going to charge us to use it. This should be
denounced by everyone who has contributed anything to the success
of RSS."
