Texas Judge Blocks Microsoft From Selling Word

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A Texas judge ordered Microsoft to stop selling Word. I've been yelling the same thing for years, but Bill gates never listens to your humble Truemorist. In this case, though, the issue isn't one of criminal suckage, but patent infringement. That's right- according to Judge Leonard Davis, Microsoft's method of reading XML violates a patent held by a Canadian company called i4i. Judge Davis ordered Microsoft to stop selling Word, and to pay i4i $290 million in damages.

The injunction (PDF) prohibits Microsoft from demonstrating, marketing, testing, or supporting Word. I'm pretty sure they stopped testing Word a looooong time ago, though.

Seriously, though, I have not a sred of doubt that Microsoft will get this ruling overturned in about eleven seconds.