One of the big headlines last week was the court ruling that said Microsoft was no longer allowed to sell Word in the U.S. because it infringed on a patent belonging to i4i.
Aside from the injunction against selling Microsoft Word in the U.S., the Redmond-based company was also told to pay i4i $290 million in damages. Microsoft said it would appeal the ruling and this week we learn that the company has done just that.
Microsoft has filed an emergency motion to block the injunction saying it causes irreparable harm to the company.
"Even if Microsoft ultimately succeeds on appeal, it will never be able to recoup the funds expended in redesigning and redistributing Word, the sales lost during the period when Word and Office are barred from the market, and the diminished goodwill from Microsoft's many retail and industrial customers."
However, while it all sounds very desperate, a Microsoft spokesperson spoke to PC Pro and said that it was all par for the course. "These filings are not unusual in patent cases," the spokesperson said. "We believe the evidence clearly demonstrates that we do not infringe and that the i4i patent is invalid."
As it stands, Microsoft is not allowed to sell or import any Microsoft Word products that have the capability of opening .XML, .DOCX or .DOCM files containing custom XML, in the United States.
Interesting. Not, "No, our product doesn't violate the patent" or "No, the patent says (A) and our product does (B). But instead.. just.. "Invalid" Are they gonna try to take the patent out from under i4i or something? It's gonna be fun watching MSFT squirm their way out of this one.(which they will unfortunately)
Sure does pay to have a legal monopoly AND the best lawyers money can buy. >.>
Haha... tanks to the RIAA's lawyers giving it for free is treated as "sell" for $0. There is high court ruling for that.
I'd be more included to think that giving something away for free on the internet would be considered a mechanism for theft. If I put something on display and somebody takes it, isn't that theft? I guess if I intended them to have it, it might be considered a gift on will call. This sales for $0.00 is garbage.
you mean like their compatibility pack that you can download for free to be able to open docx files in 2003 and wordview?
Of course, Microsoft is allowed a monopoly because they are in bed with the NSA, and pretty much facilitate any kind of spying they are ever asked for(all Windows versions, not just "evil-doer edition"). Go read detectives/forensics internet forums, they have all of their tried and true techniques for Windows/NTFS/Bitlocker stuff, but Linux, EXT3/4, Truecrypt, etc... have them in a panic, generally most of their Linux techniques rely on user oversight and luck, not "gifts" from Microsoft.