[Am-info] Microsoft seeks XML-related patents

[Roy Bixler]

On Mon, Jan 26, 2004 at 08:53:59AM -0800, Mitch Stone wrote:
> Microsoft has applied for patents that could prevent competing 
> applications from processing documents created with the latest version 
> of the software giant's Office program.
> 
> The company filed patent applications in New Zealand and the European 
> Union that cover word processing documents stored in the XML 
> (Extensible Markup Language) format. The proposed patent would cover 
> methods for an application other than the original word processor to 
> access data in the document. The U.S. Patent Office had no record of a 
> similar application.
> 
> http://news.com.com/2100-1013_3-5146581.html

First, the European Union is having a debate as to whether to allow
software patents and, if so, what the rules will be on them.  I have
heard that there is some funny situation there where the lack of a
legal framework hasn't stopped companies like Microsoft from applying
for software patents.

Second, this particular patent application should be shot down on
grounds of prior art.  StarOffice/OpenOffice and KWord, for instance,
have been using XML as their default document formats for years.

R.

-- 
most criminals i've known are knuckleheads. the smart ones go into politics.
   -- Robert Ferrigno