Will Microsoft’s new XML patent filings affect you?
Our friends in Redmond say that “Microsoft may have patents and/or patent applications that are necessary for you to license in order to make, sell, or distribute software programs that read or write files that comply with the Microsoft specifications for the Office Schemas.”
While the shot across the XML bow doesn’t appear to be a problem for folks who are writing garden-variety XML apps, it’s certainly causing a lot of consternation for people who want to manipulate WordProcessingML and SpreadsheetML documents.
How does this affect Microsoft’s announced intention to offer royalty-free licenses for its Office 2003 XML schemas? I dunno. It’s all legalistic mumbo-jumbo to me. In particular, the ‘Softy quoted in the CNet article on the subject, sounds like he’s trying hard to blow a lot of smoke and provide exactly zero illumination.
