[Sigia-l] Share and share alike

[Chris Chandler]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donna M. Fritzsche" <donnamarie at amichi.info>
To: "SIGIA-L" <sigia-l at asis.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 8:17 AM
Subject: Re: [Sigia-l] Share and share alike


> So, someone please help me out here, are they trying to indirectly
> patent the exact specification of the xml structure - by patenting
> the methods used to parse structures of that exact specification?
> My terminology may not be accurate - please feel free to offer a
> better way of saying it?
>
> Does not seem like it would be patentable, but not surprised that
> they are trying.


The way I read it, they are applying for patents that govern the format or schema for word processing, i.e. Word, and
other Office apps. Then, if some vendor wants to create a tool for slurping data from said Office apps, they would have
to pay a licensing fee.

They've already agreed to make the format change that will make the data accessible, and have their partners drooling
over the unprecedented access that will be possible, this is merely a way to get compensation for their intellectual
property.

Anyone who thought Microsoft was going to be giving away "free beer" has been living in a cave for the last twenty
years.

-cc