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Reefscape
08-14-2009, 6:38 AM
:nutkick:

Looks like the new version of Microsoft Office is now on hold as the new version of Word also has this XML tech built into it....

Quote taken from http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39712610,00.htm?s_cid=214



A judge on Tuesday ordered Microsoft to stop selling Word, one of its premier products, in its current form due to patent infringement.

Judge Leonard Davis of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a permanent injunction that "prohibits Microsoft from selling or importing to the United States any Microsoft Word products that have the capability of opening .XML, .DOCX or DOCM files (XML files) containing custom XML", according to a statement (http://sev.prnewswire.com/banking-financial-services/20090811/DA6039911082009-1.html) released by attorneys for the plantiff, i4i.

Microsoft did not immediately reply to request for comment but said in a statement that it planned to appeal the verdict.

Toronto-based i4i sued Microsoft in March 2007 alleging that the software giant violated its 1998 patent (No 5,787,449 (http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=12&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=5,787,449&OS=5,787,449&RS=5,787,449)) for a document system that eliminated the need for manually embedded formatting codes.

[/URL] [URL="http://reviews.zdnet.co.uk/software/productivity/0,1000001108,39674802,00.htm"]Read more (http://reviews.zdnet.co.uk/software/productivity/0,1000001108,39674802,00.htm)



XML (Extensible Markup Language) is considered a "page description language", with one of its key qualities being that it is readable by people, not just machines. Unlike HTML, which has predefined tags, XML allows developers and users to define their own tags for data, such as price and product.

In May, a federal jury in Tyler, Texas, ruled that the custom XML tagging features of Word 2003 and Word 2007 infringed on i4i's patent and ordered Microsoft to pay $200m (£120m) in the case.

In Tuesday's ruling, Microsoft was also ordered to pay an additional $40m for willful infringement, as well as $37m in pre-judgement interest. The order requires Microsoft to comply with the injunction within 60 days and forbids Microsoft from testing, demonstrating or marketing Word products containing the contested XML feature.

Wycco
08-14-2009, 7:42 AM
It'll be over-ruled. This kind of shock- beyond belief patent case usually is.

As much as I dislike Microsoft (partially from their own rediculous pattents) they are not in the wrong here. XML is a public-domain technology standard and does not belong to any company.

Patenting a word processor that uses XML is a lot like patenting a word processor that uses English.

By the way- Open Office would be in trouble too based on this patent yet you don't see i4i going after Open Office... why? because they don't have any money.

Simple case of greed and trying to take money from other's hard work.

coach_z
08-14-2009, 11:36 AM
wow...someone stood up to microsoft and won? that doesnt happen.

CONDUCT
08-16-2009, 12:56 PM
wow...someone stood up to microsoft and won? that doesnt happen.

Not true the State of Iowa sued Microsoft and won.
I got back like $300

Iowa consumers, businesses, and government entities that bought Microsoft software, or a computer on which it was installed, can claim benefits under a class action settlement with a face value of $179,950,000.

excuzzzeme
08-16-2009, 1:12 PM
It is common knowledge that Microsoft is one of the largest patent thieves. They take from sources such as Open Source that is registered under the "open Source License" which means they can use the coding freely as long as the original coding is kept intact and is free to anyone to modify. They are not allowed to sell any product that uses this technique. They have for years modified and reverse engineered many forms of software and claimed it as their own.

It is no secret that MS flaunts the rules and wages a monopoly on the market which is in direct conflict with the many lawsuits and infringement cases prohibiting them from doing so. Nothing will change by this newest lawsuit. Not even newsworthy anymore.