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Microsoft patents portable applications? I don't think so.
Network World's Microsoft Subnet blog asks "doesn't this sound an awful lot like running an application from a thumb drive?" Later the post continues, "But if a device includes flash as a memory technology, and can run an application on an attached computer solely from the flash drive, that's what Microsoft says it invented. Am I missing something or haven't computer users been able to run applications via portable media since the 5 1/4-inch floppy drive? The Iomega?""A portable storage device includes an interface and one or more flash memories. The one or more flash memories store one or more executable files that can be executed by a host computer to which the device is coupled without altering any environment settings on the host computer even though the one or more executable files include instructions to access environment settings. Additionally, the application is bound to the portable storage device during an activation process."
Yes, you are missing something. Specifically, you're missing the bit where Microsoft's patent mentions "binding the application to the storage device during an activation process." That's not something any portable applications I run does, nor is it something I require them to do.
If I had to guess, Microsoft is trying to create a situation where you could put an application for which you own a license on a single USB flash drive -- iTunes/iPod like -- and be able to run that program from your drive on a different computer -- where you may not specifically have a license to run it.
This certainly doesn't read to me like a patent which broadly covers all portable applications, but I'm no attorney. If any of you are, feel free to correct me -- but I think Network World is off the mark this time.
Comments
11
Subscribe to commentsWinXPMay 7th 2010 4:14PM
Most likely this is for Office 2010 starter which can be installed to a flash drive
JayenkaiMay 8th 2010 3:49AM
Oh dear god, we're back to using Dongles again...
The PC of the Future will be coming with 700 USB ports on the sidepanel, so you can activate all your software, and actually try to use them simultaneously.
skalpaMay 8th 2010 1:56PM
Well, I'd agree with that.... The activation part makes it sound like it's more for a dongle than a portable application.
Now, considering some of the recent experiments MS had with multi-platform gaming and the fact nothing here limits this patent to USB drives ( isn't the Zune a portable storage device ? ), it could still be interesting:
- Buy Splinter Cell for my PC
- Attach license to my Zune
- Unplug Zune: play mobile version of the game
- Plug on Friend's XBox, and play console version all afternoon
- Go back home and get all day progress on the PC (XBox and PC share saves, the mobile version game is about side-missions that will help you on the desktop versions).
It's a lot better than actual DRM systems, and if they intend to do something like this, I would understand why they want to patent part of it before.
DuckMay 7th 2010 6:54PM
I just thought I'd add, I've got one of the non turbo versions of the USB Drive pictured and it's the best USB Drive EVER.
... that is all.
Brian!May 7th 2010 10:49PM
I would say that patents like this are an evil that should be abolished. But since I am waiting for a vaguely written patent on masturbation while in use with a computing device (it is much easier to get vague patients on technology), soon I will be the richest man in the world.
Muhahahahaha
JordanMay 8th 2010 12:14AM
If this were Apple, nobody would bat an eye about this patent
TechslackerMay 8th 2010 11:00AM
GPSoftware's Directory Opus has been doing this for a few years now.
JimMay 8th 2010 11:41AM
Maybe there's more in the patent app, but it seems to me that it's a bit obvious: I have an application that competes with portable open source apps and so want mine to be portable but not capable of duplication. So, I lock the copy on the portable device. Maybe the patent's intended to cover the locking method.
RoyceMay 9th 2010 11:11AM
Sounds like an old school dongle to me! Didn't those die a nice death in the early 2000's?
ScootahMay 9th 2010 10:45PM
Applications and licenses that are bound to hardware dongles aren't a new concept - they're also not purely a remanent of the late 90's - much as we might wish.
Several businesses that I've consulted to in the last 12 months have business critical/lifeblood software that runs using that exact mechanism. Getting corporate virtualized solutions to play nicely with them is always a bloody nuisance for small businesses - and finding which machine in the datacenter has the USB key plugged into the back of it is always exciting.
I have difficulty believing that that's really what Microsoft is trying to Patent. It's not as widely used, but it's equally well established as an existing technology. Of course, it is a Microsoft Patent.
fgdgdfgMay 10th 2010 4:39AM
It's still ridiculous that you can patent something like that.