[ale] [Fwd: Microsoft can't sell `Word' in US]

[JK]

Scott Castaline wrote:
> On 08/12/2009 03:48 PM, Geoffrey wrote:
>> You gotta love this one....
>>
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> Subject: Microsoft can't sell `Word' in US
>> Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:58:10 -0700
>> From: glen mccready<gkm at petting-zoo.net>
>> Reply-To: deadbeef at petting-zoo.net
>> To: 0xdeadbeef<0xdeadbeef at petting-zoo.net>
>> CC: Keith Bostic<bostic at bostic.com>
>>
>> http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/176223.asp
>>
>> A Texas judge ruled Tuesday that Microsoft cannot sell one of its
>> flagship products, Word, in the United States because of patent
>> infringement.
>>
>> You read that right: Microsoft cannot sell Word, the judge ruled.
>>
>> [...]
>>
>>
> I wonder what impact it'll have on the OOxml vs. ODF as the document 
> standard?


I read the patent, entitled "Method and System for Manipulating the
Architecture and Content of a Document Separately From Each Other".
It seems to me that LOTS of stuff potentially infringes it (including
CSS, if I'm not mistaken).  However, I'd be surprised if there weren't
prior art. The patent was filed in 1994.

Disclaimer: IANAL, etc.

-- JK