Stop spreading the word, court tells Microsoft

Washington, Aug 13: A US judge on Tuesday, Aug 11, has ordered Microsoft to ban the selling of Word document, after finding that the software contains technology which violates a patent held by a Canadian company.

Leonard Davis, a federal district court judge on Tuesday, Aug 11, banned the world's largest software from selling Word 2003, Word 2007 and future versions of the software as it used i4i's technology without a license.

The judge has also ordered Microsoft to pay huge amount of fines to i4i, including $200 million in damages and $40 million in 'enhanced damages'.

I4i, Toronto-based software maker, has been fighting with Microsoft over an modified patent related XML, a software component that is used in many websites as well as Word and other programs.

Loudon Owen chairman of i4i said, "It is not a question of fear or pride or anything else, we're very respectful of Microsoft, but when you're in the right you have to persevere."

Microsoft spokesman Kevin Rudd said, "We are disappointed by the court's ruling, we believe the evidence clearly demonstrated that we do not infringe and that the i4i patent is invalid."

OneIndia News