MS gets tabbed browser patent.

[PrntRhd]

Microsoft got issued a patent on using a keyboard to browse the Internet by the US Patent Office. What this means or even whether it is a valid patent when Lynx already had the feature is open to question.
internetnews (http://www.internetnews.com/ent-news/article.php/3406551) :rolleyes:

[Rick]

Normal MS B.S.
Can't beat it BUY it

[pave_spectre]

What a joke.

Somebody needs to take whoever's in charge at the US Patent Office and give them a good flogging.

[Paul Komski]

There's really nothing very "special" about using the tab key to move around through the various elements in any application, whether it is a browser or something else. Using such keyboard navigation was at one time not only common but the norm.

A software developer can always let things default or else specify the order in which such elements are "made active" by repeatedly pressing the tab key.

So there's nothing very revolutionary about this other than that links, as well as other elements on a page such as the toolbar items, are included in the tabbing z-order. I wonder how much this is used (or would be used if widely known about) in any case.

Right clicking on Firefox allows you to choose "view page info", which includes a list of the links on that page, and which is probably a better way of scrolling through the links on a page in any case. There is a powertoy, I think, that will do something similar for IE.

As an aside, I only recently discovered a neat "trick" with links. You can drag them onto the desktop and create a shortcut there!! ;)

[Dr Bob]

The thread title is a little misleading since tabbed browsing usually refers to a feature that IE doesn't even have.

Seeking patents on commonly used technology has really gotten out of hand worldwide (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3920793.stm) . I guess its easier than innovating. :rolleyes:

[PrntRhd]

The patent (number 6,785,865) is officially titled "Discoverability and navigation of hyperlinks via tabs."
The heading was the one chosen by the article. The point I was trying to make was the attempts to "own the Internet" worldwide.

[Paul Komski]

"own the Internet" huh ! puts it mildly. Own the World, God and the Universe more like.

[PCGeek]

Would be nice to see Microsoft employ a "tabbed" browser, like Crazy Browser where different pages can be on different tabs, saves a whole load of hassle and keeps your browsing slick n sleek.........