Microsoft Word Woes

BANGALORE, INDIA: Microsoft has lost its custom XML issue with i4i based out of Canada. In a recent judgment, a US court has ruled in favor of i4i. In a patent infringement case involving i4i which sued Microsoft way back in 2007 stating that it owned the XML editing technology in the MSs popular office programWord.

The court has recently ordered Microsoft to stop the sale of Word with the custom XML code in question. XML is a mark-up language that enables users to customize the underlying format of their word processing documents.

For instance, one can make them compatible across multiple word processing programs and this has been the key part of Microsofts Word, as it provides the capability to read and write XML documents.

Not any more, as per the recent court directive Microsoft has been told to pay $290 mn to i4i and ordered it to stop selling Word 2007 beyond January 11. So, Microsoft cannot sell Word 2007 either as a standalone or as bundled in Office 2007 with custom XML codes, and it needs to recode it and issue new versions of Office 2003-2007.

But contrary to the screaming headlines that Microsoft Word sales will come to a standstill by January 11, 2010, the actual scenario is totally under Microsofts control. Microsoft has already issued a new supplement for 2007 Microsoft Office system for the US market.

After the supplement is installed, Microsoft Office Word will no longer read custom XML elements contained within .docx, .docm, or .xml files. The files will open, but any custom XML elements will be removed.

According to Michel Vulpe, founder of i4i reflecting on the judgement says, "We are very pleased with the terms of the final judgment.

The financial award due for i4i is now over $290 mn and a permanent injunction has also been issued against Microsoft. We feel vindicated with this result. i4i will give its utmost to support custom XML users, which is particularly important to implement the ISO 29500 OOXML standard. "

U-turn

The initial judgement to stop the sale of Word was passed in August 2009, but subsequently Microsoft appealed to it, and by September it got a stay on the injunction. But things did not favor Microsoft on the December 22 ruling upholding the injunction and the $290 mn in damages. In August, Microsoft said that the court ruling was very disappointing and it did not infringe on the i4i patent.

With its appeal denied, Microsoft rather took a U-turn and complied with the courts directive. According to Kevin Kutz, director, public affairs, Microsoft, "With respect to Microsoft Word 2007 and Microsoft Office 2007, we have been preparing for this possibility since the district court issued its injunction in August 2009, and have put the wheels in motion to remove this little used feature from these products. Therefore, we expect to have copies of Microsoft Word 2007 and Office 2007 with this feature removed, available for sale and distribution in the US by the injunction date."

However, the recently released Office 2010 beta version will be unaffected as the disputable XML codes are not part of its development process. Microsoft which opened up beta downloads for Office 2010 says it is not interrupted by this judgement. While Microsoft has complied with the injunction, it also said that it is considering its legal options which could include a request for a rehearing by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.