MS Files For NZ Patent On XML Word Processor Files

heretic108 writes "A patent application is currently being examined in New Zealand, which if granted, would bar anyone except Microsoft from using an XML file format for storing Word Processing documents. In contrast to copyrights, patents allow even the most elementary concepts to be patented. Apparently, nobody here is diligently watching out for such ridiculous patents, so the official deadline for submitting objections has passed. This suggests a likelihood that the patent may well be granted. I am not endeared to the thought that I might be breaking the law when I use OpenOffice.org to write documents, especially since the concept of storing docs in an XML format was certainly not thought of by Microsoft, so have written a formal complaint to my Member of Parliament. Hopefully there'll be a public outcry within New Zealand."

Comments

How can you patent this?

[a.koepke]

Quote from the Wikipedia on XML: "Its primary purpose is to facilitate the sharing of structured text".

It was designed for the storage of structured text. A word processor creates structured text. It is sort of logical to use the technology that was designed to store what you are creating. How is that being innovative or original? If they were using some other technology for this and it was not designed for this usage then maybe they would have a case.

This is like someone creating and image format and Adobe taking out the patent to save documents in that format. It is dumb.

What else can they do?

[aufecht]

Seems to me that the only way MS can combat the wide acceptance of Linux is to make it illegal to use Linux. They realize that software superiority is something they can not achieve, so the only option they have is to leverage their monopoly power, vast hordes of cash, and dirty lawyers to insure their products reign supreme, both on the shelf and bundled with new computers. They noose is beginning to tighten. They see a serious threat that refuses to go away.

Why not HTML?

[digitect]

Honestly, HTML is a decent precedent for XML. Sure the structure is less ordered, and not so clearly delineated between logical/structral and layout/presentation halves. But the idea of using containing tags to structure text has been around since at least SGML in 1986.

Let's hope that this patent applies to a specific implementation of XML, such as the form:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<XML>

<this>

<blob type="patented_binary_thingy"/>

</this>

</XML>

Heh.

Kiwi law issues

[thogard]

Does the Kiwi law allow for private prosecution aginst the New Zealand government? What would happen if a private prosecution aginst the patent office was clearly going to happen if they allow this patent to proceed seeing that it clearly isn't a new idea. I expect they will look at the issue much differently if they have to figure out where their budget is going to go. The Kiwi govt is small enough that they could not afford a law suit brought on by people from other countries and I'm guessing they would clearly change their tune. Of course they should punish Microsoft for outright lies in patent applications.