Pioneer who kept the Web free honored with prize

Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, is finally compensated with a $1 million prize.
The New York Times

The story "Pioneer who kept the Web free honored with prize" published June 14, 2004 at 5:58 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

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Stupid Microsoft bashing

Cnet does it again, even though so many things can be said in this story, they go straight to Microsoft and bash them. They also do not mention the fact that when Microsoft doesn't patent, they got sued and companies suing them make millions of dollars. In fact Cnet supports such companies when they are suing Microsoft.

I don't think Cnet is telling the truth to us. They are fine if Microsofot's competitors' patent, but they are not fine if Microsoft patents even though they are patenting not for enforcing it but for protecting themselves. That itself is a good reason to go with Microsoft all the way down, since the law doesn't speak the same language CNet speaks.

Not a Microsoft bash

A couple of points.

Firstly, the article is about Tim Berners-Lee, who is known to be strongly anti-patent, and somewhat anti-Microsoft. Therefore, most quotes from him, which this article should be composed of considering its content, will reflect those views.

Secondly, Cnet is not anti-Microsoft. They have written plenty of articles, both pro- and anti-Microsoft. For good examples of the balanced nature of CNet's reporting, see today's article on "Microsoft: Linux threat is rising," in which it has comments from both pro- and anti-Microsoft supporters.

Thirdly, this specific article is not anti-Microsoft, it is quoting Berners-Lee as being anti-patent. The only mentions of Microsoft, in fact, are (a) quotes from Berners-Lee, and (b) in context with hosts of other industry players. The three mentions of Microsoft in the article are, specifically, the fact that if the Web had been patented, Berners-Lee could see a proliferation of non-interoperable webs by a variety of different companies (Microsoft, CERN, Apple, Digital); the criticism of Microsoft for patenting double-clicking to open an application; and the defense of Microsoft going after Eolas for its patent. The only criticism (the double-click patent) is in context with other criticized patents from Eolas, the BT Group, and Amazon.com. Amazon.com, I might add, is an outspoken advocate of open-source technologies.

Therefore, it should be clear that this article, and most other CNet articles, are not Microsoft bashes, but are reporting just the facts, ma'am.

- Eric