By Marc Lostracco

Since its release in 1983, Microsoft Word has WYSIWYGed its way onto approximately a bazillion desktops worldwide, but a little Toronto tech company with a really ugly website could force Microsoft to stop selling current versions of their cash-cow word processor. Word uses custom XML tagging technology that i4i says they hold a patent on, and an injunction issued yesterday by a judge in patent haven Texas seems to support that claim. The details are all very nerdy and boring, but there’s no way that Microsoft is going to bail on one of their most important flagship products, so dukes will be up and bank accounts will be looted. Et plus ça change…even more reason why it may be time to abolish obscure software patents.