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.
XML is integral to Microsoft’s flagship word processing software Word.
Texas district court judge Leonard Davis also filed an injunction preventing Microsoft from selling Word.
The row specifically relates to the use of Extensible Mark-up Language, or XML, documents.
I4i filed a patent in 1998 that outlined a means for “manipulating the architecture and the content of a document separately from each other” invoking XML as a means allowing users to format text documents.
via BBC NEWS | Technology | Judge bans Microsoft Word sales.
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wow. this is why generic patents blow.
Indeed, just a complete nuisance! In my opinion copyright law should not be valid for software design and architecture, except for protocols.