Microsoft patents reveal dubious ad client, helpful clipping lists

As if learning about one new aspect of Windows today wasn't enough, a duo of recent patent applications may lend a hand in discovering a few new, um, features about the Windows of the future. Up first is a dubious filing that details an "advertising services architecture" which actually uses content stored on your hard drive to trigger advertisements when browsing the web, and while we're no expert on the matter, that sure reeks of adware to our untrained noses. Next, however, is a glimpse at a potentially updated taskbar function dubbed "clipping lists," which forms clippings of your internet windows, documents, etc. into "peripheral regions of the display." Of course, this idea is certainly not new, but apparently Redmond has a vision in mind that would deviate somewhat from existing creations. 'Course, we're fairly sure you brushed right over that second tidbit as you thought about how violated patent number one would make you feel, no?

[Via InformationWeek, image courtesy of KlondikeConsulting]
Read - Advertising services architecture patent
Read - Clipping lists patent

[Rainier @ Jul 16th 2007 6:17PM]

What? No red ring?

[Blake Kachman @ Jul 16th 2007 6:17PM]

"Get customers right where you want them."
In the ass!

[Sma @ Jul 16th 2007 6:28PM]

by way of your pockets

[zaai @ Jul 16th 2007 6:40PM]

This is how history gets rewritten.

The current count is 200 patent violations by Linux.
Soon Linux will violate 201 Microsoft patents ...

Linux Beryl and OSX users will no longer be allowed to look at their clippings on the taskbar, unless you look at it directly.

[Brian @ Jul 16th 2007 6:40PM]

I second the "no red ring?" comment, with one quarter missing of course.

[nikster @ Jul 16th 2007 6:42PM]

April's fool's or are they really that evil / stupid? This would piss off even more Windows users and in addition would most certainly be illegal in most countries that have privacy laws.

MS is in dire need of an ethics department. Or maybe even just a common sense dept.

[Blake Harris @ Jul 16th 2007 6:47PM]

Does anyone else notice the irony of how closely the image resembles their 'anti-spyware' icon? http://www.hanselman.com/blog/content/binary/spywareitsbeta.jpg

[Fitz @ Jul 16th 2007 7:26PM]

Actually MS is just trying to beat Google to the punch. Google is already working on this type of application - just an extension of Google Desktop (ever wonder about what they're doing with all that indexing information????)

MS and Google both scare me a little bit.

[onin @ Jul 16th 2007 7:25PM]

sympatico msn? thats from canada right?

[Taylor @ Jul 16th 2007 7:43PM]

Also irony: The circles aren't centered properly... so when microsoft says they'll get your customers looking right where you want them, they must mean "slightly off center"...
-Taylor

[granny down east @ Jul 16th 2007 10:22PM]

I thought it was my eyes. thnx

[StrangeBum @ Jul 17th 2007 9:38AM]

I was about to mention something along those lines myself. At first I just thought that my horrible eyesight was causing me to view them distorted, but upon further examination, Microsoft did not make a very good ummm.. ad.. for this new ad client.

But yeah..that was funny.

[The Aggie CEO™ @ Jul 16th 2007 7:50PM]

Damn Futurama type stuff........

next is the Dreams beamed with commercials

[michael @ Jul 16th 2007 8:19PM]

Doesn't Google already do this? Like with Google Desktop indexing our systems, and other Google apps. people use?

[Cosmic @ Jul 17th 2007 12:17PM]

Agreed. Of course, if Google actually did it first, everyone would just be going on about how they're so far ahead of Microsoft. Oh, whoops, M$.

[michael @ Jul 16th 2007 8:20PM]

It's just an ad. Maybe it was intentional.

[Wwhat @ Jul 16th 2007 8:48PM]

It's part of MS's security model, first they had deliberate holes in windows for advertisers, now the new model is 'MS gathering info themselves and selling it on', that's more 'secure' you see.

[Adam K @ Jul 17th 2007 2:19AM]

Makes me think of the Messenger service that came standard with XP Home Edition. If I pay for software/operating system, I dont want to get advertisements too, that's just uncool.

[cf @ Jul 17th 2007 4:22AM]

Many people will like the idea of 'commerically asset tagging' every file on your entire hard disk - perhaps the data owner will get a 'revenue' cut like the zune model for 'squirting' data to your friends and family??

[Johnnyg0 @ Jul 17th 2007 8:37AM]

So, I understand Microsoft is getting into the spyware business now?

[SiLo @ Jul 17th 2007 9:15AM]

You know, I was under the impression that Microsoft made enough money already... are XBox360 repairs really costing them so much they need to put ad services on Windows now? Man, that's a new all-time low.

I'll remember to build my new PCs with OS X/Ubuntu in mind, this is just getting ridiculous.

The only MS software products that I really enjoy are Visual Studio (2005) and Office (2007 especially), the rest, well... no comment. I guess MSN too if you count that...

[AdvidG @ Jul 17th 2007 9:53AM]

"...which actually uses content stored on your hard drive to trigger advertisements when browsing"

It's bad enough I have to load and run software to stop this crap just from surfing...but Now It's being built into the OS!!!...

Where's my gun...No...where's my Tank!

[Ivan @ Jul 17th 2007 12:27PM]

My guess is you most likely won't notice much of a difference (if any at all) whenever this gets built into Windows. Microsoft isn't stupid enough to build an actual hidden spy/adware application into its OS. Instead, this will most likely use info from your computer to serve targeted text and banner ads to you whenever you use any Microsoft portals/content networks (Live, MSN Shopping, Etc.). It is similar to how Yahoo! and Google can use data gathered from their users (Gmail, Y! Mail, etc.) to serve them targeted ads on their search and content networks. What it won't do is give you spam email or annoying pop-up/pop-under ads that intrude on your web browsing experience. I know it is cool to bash Microsoft for being Big Brother (many times it is warranted), but if you think Google and Yahoo! aren't also working on something similar then you are crazy.

[b carn |||| @ Jul 25th 2007 4:39PM]

We're being bombarded by advertisements every minute of every day; online, on TV, on our highways, in magazines, on products... some people even tattoo their favorite brands onto themselves.

If being advertised to is an inescapable fact of life in the 21st century, wouldn't you prefer to be served an advertisement that actually might pertain to something you may be interested in?