Re: [Sheflug] Microsoft Profits Plunge

[Bob Mottram <fuzzgun@xxxxxxxxx>]

2009/8/12 Richard Ibbotson <richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
> Oh... looks like there's another twist in the plot so far.......
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8197990.stm
>
> "  A US federal court has ordered Microsoft to pay over $290m (£175m)
> for wilfully infringing on a patent by Canadian firm i4i.  The patent
> relates to the use of XML, a programming language that allows
> formatting of text and makes files readable across different programs.
> "
>
> I suppose we'll see more of this as time goes on.....


Here I'm on Microsoft's side.  This shows how bad software patents can
be.  If there's some patent on manipulating xml documents that will
apply far more broadly than just Microsoft software and could affect a
lot of open source systems too.

- Bob

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