Get this....

 

Microsoft just applied for a patent in New Zealand. It states that

 

"Microsoft invented and owns the process whereby a word-processing document stored in a single XML file may be manipulated by applications that understand XML."

 

That means they can sue anyone selling or distributing a product that does this in New Zealand, presuming the patent actually survives the objection phase. I hate to bring nationality into this, but, I wish more Americans (and to a smaller extent Australians) would think about the legal system purely as a serious last resort rather than engage the willy nilly threatening that goes on. Have you ever sued someone over a bad book?

 

Little example....

General Aviation was ruined by public liability in the states during the '60s-70s as the law stated that the manufacturer could be held responsible for accidents up to 10 years after the aircraft was built, even when the aircraft was perfectly serviceable when it left their factory and completed it's warranty phase. You know what that did when everyone sued the manufacturer's pockets instead of the engineering firms that didn't conduct the proper checks? Cessna decided to stop building GA aircraft for a few decades and went to their Citation line. Several others packed up shop. GA aircraft are now averaging 35 years (generally Cessna and Piper products) old in Australia and small Kiwi and Australian firms now sell GA aircraft to America. European diesels are taking off.

The lesson? It was a stupid law. Everyone lined their pockets and as a result the rest of the GA industry now has had to deal with a long period of having to maintain older aircraft, and the gaps have only just started filling. If the law was changed with regards to software such that it was as easy to sue the publishers, they would in turn find a way to sue the developers, and most would pack up and give the lot of us the finger at it. Let's face it, some people like the game. Some people like Microsoft. Currently, any moron lawyer can and will stand up and say "it's subjective". Otherwise it might pave the way towards sueing someone for writing a bad book.

 

Here is the story.

 

God knows what the 'Free' Trade Agreement between US and Aus allows Microsoft to get away with regarding intellectual property in Australia.....

The sky really must be falling.

The sky really must be falling.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Big business is going to kill us all... And is already in the process.

 

Just look at the real reasons for Iraq.

 

And yes. I *am* an American and know exactly why we are really there *cough, Haliburton; General Dynamics, cough*. Freedom of the Iraqi people -- whom don't want us there any more -- My arse...

I cant't believe it. Now it's easter weekend. That the patch appeared before that was our only hope. Now it's probably taking another week.