Apparently, BTG Technologies which is UK based is suing both Microsoft and Apple over their automatic update over the web features. According to what I have read, BTG was granted a patent last year back dating to the early 1990s. Microsoft had started Windows Update with Windows 98 back in 1998, but this was obviously AFTER the patent was requested.

Obviously, Microsoft and Apple do not wish to pay royalities for using such technologies. However, if the patent is upheld, and neither Microsoft nor Apple pay, then we could be seeing a step back for world wide computer security....

What are you views on this ?

But I thought that Microsoft supported allowing patents on software. Hoist by your own petard, anyone?

I think they'll buy the rights. It's not like either of them are going to run out of money any time soon...

I heard Microsoft's Windows Update system was changing with the release of SP2. Might it be to counter all this?

Don't think so, this is the basics that windows updates would need to work... .The Internet and automatic downloads/updates.

Presumably Microsoft and Apple are being targetted simply because they are the biggest players, which is rather unfair as clearly this is a system used by software companies across the board.

Now, I was waiting for someone to raise that point. I certainly haven't heard of other people being approached on this basis, but there are tonnes of software that are out there now and perform this as a ritual. Some, don't automatically download, others do. I think it's the latter that would be targetted should MS/AOL be forced to pay

I immediately can think of Lavasoft's Ad-aware, Photoshop 7 had an automatic update and I think the latest version of DivX player actually updated so that this method of updating became a feature.

Go a step further. What about browsers that automatically install plugin's. Plugins themselves have actually been an issue as currently there's an outstanding fight over whether the patent on the plugin technology is actually valid and whether there's evidence of prior usage.

With any sense this company will lose the case. It seems to me that there are loads of lazy little companies out there that want money for nothing.

The company does not own the web, so what about companies that allow downloading from the web - is this somehow banned? It is using underlying web technology, so surely it owes Tim Berners Lee money itself?

Well Apple and MS surely have the money to wipe the floor with this jumped up company.

microsaoft and apple will have to invent new technology or pay for the use of btg's program. autoupdates are just too damned usefull, i cant see any of the compnies involved wanting to use alternative methods

does anyone know if norton's live update is also affected?

Most likely it would be since it's the same method, as are all Anti-Virus updates.

Well, I'm speculating over who else might come in for the chop. As I haven't actual read the patent nor the infringement suit, I can't honest give a view on it.