Microsoft this week delivered a long-awaited update for Internet Explorer 6 that changes the way the browser loads embedded ActiveX controls.
The modification comes as part of an ongoing patent dispute with Eolas Technology and the University of California.
In August 2003, a federal court ruled that Microsoft had infringed on a patent related to plug-in technology used in Internet Explorer.
Eolas was awarded $521 million in damages, which has ballooned to $560 million due to interest.
In response, Microsoft said it would alter how the browser implemented ActiveX, but later backed away from the switch. Software affected by the patent would include Macromedia Flash, QuickTime, RealOne Player, Acrobat Reader, Sun's Java Virtual Machine, and Windows Media Player among other applications that embed into Web pages.
But following two legal setbacks in its efforts to invalidate the Eolas patent and have the ruling appealed, Microsoft said in December it would go ahead with the update.
"Plug-ins" include objects like Flash movies and Java Applets, as well as any other components that use the EMBED, APPLET, or OBJECT HTML tags.
With the update, ActiveX controls will no longer be activated by default. The change in IE forces users to first click on the control before it will recognize any input.