High court judge bans Microsoft from selling Word.

NickK · 12 Aug 2009 at 18:36

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8197990.stm

Ouch.

Alex74 · 12 Aug 2009 at 18:51

Texas district court judge Leonard Davis also filed an injunction preventing Microsoft from selling Word.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/176223.asp
Seems that it could be the entire USA out of action unless Microsoft pay up.

Wierd, but indeed...ouch..

Kennysevenfold · 12 Aug 2009 at 18:55

No doubt this will affect the cost of future MS software

Ross1234 · 12 Aug 2009 at 18:59

Can someone explain in simple terms what they did wrong?

Dolph · 12 Aug 2009 at 19:12

The patent in question is so broad it applies to pretty much every file standard, and certainly any standard that uses XML... I can't see this one sticking for long.

Kenai · 12 Aug 2009 at 19:15

Dolph said:
The patent in question

...is here if anyone is interested in reading it themselves.

Burnsy2023 · 12 Aug 2009 at 19:24

Apparently I've created software that infringes that patent. What an absolute joke.

Dolph · 12 Aug 2009 at 19:24

Kenai said:
...is here if anyone is interested in reading it themselves.

Like I said, the patent is broad enough to cover pretty much any use of XML, seeing as one of the primary features of XML is the seperation of content and description or layout.

The patent effectively describes the purpose of XML full stop, rather than a specific approach for doing something within XML (something MS does have some patents in themselves).

V4NT0M · 12 Aug 2009 at 20:06

The patent system as it stands is abhorrent when it comes to software. I feel for Microsoft.

Sin_Chase · 12 Aug 2009 at 20:39

No way this will stick.

NathanE · 12 Aug 2009 at 20:58

Translation: "Judge sentences Microsoft to the death penalty."

So yeah, this ain't going to happen.

fishfishfish · 12 Aug 2009 at 21:02

And OpenOffice, and Koffice, and AbiWord... I assume. Seems like the Americans issue patents for the most ridiculously ubiquitous things.

Skeeter · 12 Aug 2009 at 21:13

The US issued a patent on 'smart phones' which prompted people trying to sue all phone manufacturers....

Ross1234 · 12 Aug 2009 at 21:40

Wait, so they got banned for making an application that uses XML? Woops, sue me.

Glaucus · 12 Aug 2009 at 21:49

How the hell can you get a patent for that.
That would be laughed out in the UK. Totally stupid. if this doesn't get over turned :eek:

. That opens up the door for so much. Seeing as most things use xml as file storage now.

philjohn · 12 Aug 2009 at 23:49

AcidHell2 said:
How the hell can you get a patent for that.
That would be laughed out in the UK. Totally stupid. if this doesn't get over turned . That opens up the door for so much. Seeing as most things use xml as file storage now.

Easy, get a highly paid patent attorney to word a criminally simple, highly obvious "invention" up in so much legalese that the harrased junior patent examiner (who has a backlog of many patents to yay or nay before he can knock off for the day) is confused and thinks it's novel (or just doesn't care, the USPTO get their filing fee anyway).

CaptainCrash · 12 Aug 2009 at 23:57

AcidHell2 said:
How the hell can you get a patent for that.
That would be laughed out in the UK. Totally stupid. if this doesn't get over turned . That opens up the door for so much. Seeing as most things use xml as file storage now.

Still not as barmy as British Telecom's claim to have patented hyperlinks though...

Tute · 12 Aug 2009 at 23:59

I'm going to go and patent having a dump.

You all owe me for infringing it.

Burnsy2023 · 12 Aug 2009 at 23:59

CaptainCrash said:
Still not as barmy as British Telecom's claim to have patented hyperlinks though...

Thank god they lost it. Everyone know hyperlinks were invented by Sir Tim Berners Lee and so are in the public domain.

Fillado · 13 Aug 2009 at 00:13

While this patent is ridiculous, most software patents in general are and it's nice to see Microsoft getting caught at the wrong end of one for a change.

Microsoft's options:

Pay them money

Buy the company

Either way, things like this don't really do anything to a company as big as Microsoft!