[Sussex] Patent Ambush (Was Microsoft opens file formats)

[Frances Fleming]

On Tue Nov 22 13:00:27 GMT 2005, Dave Chapman wrote:
> Just followed this link from www.theregister.com
> http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2005/nov05/11-21Ecma.mspx
> 
> And I can't help but think theres a deliberate attempt to confuse people with 
> "Office Open XML Document Formats"
> 
> It is far to easy to read it as
> "Open Office XML Document Formats"

See also http://www.theregister.com/2005/11/22/letters_2211/


The following link, entitled "Telcos united on anti-patent laws", should give 
food for thought.

http://www.theregister.com/2005/11/22/telcos_unite_on_ip/

Quoting from the article:
    | The European Commission has already asked ETSI to sort out rules 
    | to stop members carrying out a "patent ambush" - where one company 
    | gets its technology sneakily included in a standard before sending 
    | out large invoices to companies forced to use its technology.
    | 
    | Mobile handset makers complained last month that Qualcomm used its 
    | 3G patents in this way.

As can be seen from a study of the issue, Microfoft holds a patent around 
the XML in its Office suite and it isn't certain whether it plans to let it 
go. I would say, probably not, judging by past history.

This could cause a whole raft of hostility.

What I find most irritating, is the reported interest that our British Library 
is showing in Microsoft's plans. Does anyone know if this is true? BL should 
be thoroughly investigating anything like this and should make sure it only 
supports formats that are _truly_ accessible, otherwise it's a betrayal of 
the individual and corporate taxpayer.