Microsoft has issued a "Non Security Update" for Internet Explorer 6 to comply with a court order to remove automatic activation for ActiveX controls from IE, which was found to infringe on a technology patent by Eolas, PC Pro reports. The upcoming IE 7 and Windows Vista will have the update built in. The moves are the result of Microsoft's having run out of options after its appeals to both the U.S. Patent Office and the Supreme Court were rejected.

In 2003 Eolas won a historical $520 million (plus interest) court case, which established that it owns the patent on self-executing files on a web page. IE users will, as a result of the update, would have to instead click to execute such files. Microsoft is offering scripts for developers so that they may provide workarounds.

Microsoft has nevertheless vowed to appeal the $521 million patent infringement ruling won by Eolas and the University of California over the use of certain patents in the browser, writesPC Mag.

Among the applications to be affected are Adobe Reader, Apple QuickTime Player, Macromedia Flash, Microsoft Windows Media Player, Real Networks RealPlayer and the Sun Java Virtual Machine.

Prior coverage:

- Eolas Patent Reaffirmed; Microsoft, IE in Trouble
- Patent Shenanigans Cloud Certainty in Online Ad, Commerce Spaces
- Eolas Trial Judge Faulted in Appeal
- Eolas Case Rears Head Again
- Eolas Rich Media Patent on Way to Grave
- Eolas Case Not Dead Yet
- Eolas Patent Nixed, Microsoft Mostly Off Hook
- Microsoft Still on Patent Hook for $565 Million
- Patent Office Unsure on Eolas Patent
- Microsoft May Yet Win Eolas Case, Advertisers May Yet Lose
- W3C Backs Microsoft Against Submarine Patent
- Motion Filed to Nix IE Distribution
- IE Patent Infringement to Cost MS $521 Million