Microsoft

If you use Microsoft Windows and Internet Explorer, and have been keeping your PC up-to-date using Windows Update you may have noticed a rather irritating change recently when you surf the web. Embedded ActiveX controls now require a click of the mouse to start. A tooltip stating "Click to activate and use this control" now displays, until you click.

The short version of the reason is that Microsoft are embroiled in a patent dispute with Eolas Technologies, and have made this change in response. There's another version of the story here as well. I shake my head. Microsoft may not be everyone's idea of a role model company, but people milking flimsy software patents for cash just makes me sick. The League for Programming Freedom has some good articles on the subject.

Anyway.

On the subject of Microsoft, an article about the launch of Windows 1.0 back in 1983 made me smile earlier today.