Earlier this month, Microsoft won a patent for XML in word processing documents. Microsoft's patent is 'directed at providing a word-processing document in a native XML file format that may be understood by an application that understands XML, or to enable another application or service to create a rich document in XML so that the word-processing application can open it as if it was one of its own documents.'
There will be a big industry uproar about this patent, but see the next post....
C/P from ZDNET Microsoft is barred from selling any Microsoft Word products that can open XML files (.xml, .docx and .docm), according to a U.S. District Court ruling in favor of i4i, a small Canadian company that sued the software giant for patent infringement'' According to the injunction, Microsoft is enjoined from selling 'Microsoft Word 2003, Microsoft Word 2007, and Microsoft Word products not more than colorably different from Microsoft Word 2003 or Microsoft Word 2007.' Microsoft also can't offer support or basically use XML. Under the ruling, Davis found that anything that touches custom XML formatting in Word infringes on i4i's patent. The patent, No. 5,787,4999, covers software designed to manipulate document architecture and content. Davis ruled that Microsoft should pay $200 million in damages, $40 million for willful infringement, $37 million in prejudgment interest and damages by the day. However, According to court documents, i4i filed its original complaint in 2007.