Microsoft banned from selling Word in US
Newsbot @ Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:41 am
Title: Microsoft banned from selling Word in US
Category: Business
Posted By: ridenrain
Date: 2009-08-12 10:24:10
Canadian_Mind @ Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:41 am
Heh, good riddance.
Hope sales will be blocked in Canada too, though i dunno who would have juristiction to tell microsoft to stop selling the software worldwide.
ASLplease @ Wed Aug 12, 2009 1:55 pm
patent laws are different in Canada than the USA. In the USA, it is the first person to invent something that wins the patent, where in Canada it is the first person to file a patent application.
If I was to invent something, I'd patent it in Canada, then wait to patent it in the USA because you can always patent in the USA when you need to.
Canadaka @ Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:17 pm
I think this is an unfair ruling. One thing is for sure, Word will continue to be sold.
ridenrain @ Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:30 pm
Word, along with many Office formats has become the standard for business and common file formats are vital to todays businesses. That said, I wouldn't mind seeing MS Office products be locked down for a few years.
Seriously, we don't need to buy a new office pack every year just because MS wants more money.
leewgrant @ Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:38 pm
ridenrain ridenrain:
Word, along with many Office formats has become the standard for business and common file formats are vital to todays businesses.
Monopolistic or not it is sure handy to have a standard word processing program that we all use. Imagine the increased cost with multiple different programs where we all had to invest in assorted conversion software.
Elvis @ Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:50 pm
leewgrant leewgrant:
ridenrain ridenrain:
Word, along with many Office formats has become the standard for business and common file formats are vital to todays businesses.
Monopolistic or not it is sure handy to have a standard word processing program that we all use. Imagine the increased cost with multiple different programs where we all had to invest in assorted conversion software.
Agree but you are confusing a program with a word processing standard. (.doc, .pdf .....)
the word processing standard should be open source so that not one entity can ever drop support for it. That's why I use Open office
And that any company or individual can use the software that they like best and use the open .odf standard (For exemple).
DrCaleb @ Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:54 pm
Elvis Elvis:
leewgrant leewgrant:
ridenrain ridenrain:
Word, along with many Office formats has become the standard for business and common file formats are vital to todays businesses.
Monopolistic or not it is sure handy to have a standard word processing program that we all use. Imagine the increased cost with multiple different programs where we all had to invest in assorted conversion software.
Agree and that word processing program should be open so that not one entity can ever drop support for it. That's why I use Open office
It's kind of ironic too that this dispute is over the fact that Word can save XML documents.
I use:
http://symphony.lotus.com/software/lotu ... e.nsf/home
GreenTiger @ Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:56 pm
It looks like Microsolt is going to have to ,ake a big arrangement with the companies thant invented these features.
Elvis @ Wed Aug 12, 2009 4:03 pm
http://symphony.lotus.com/software/lotu ... e.nsf/home
Hmm Nice I will try to intall it later tonight on my Mandriva 2009.1 computer.
ASLplease @ Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:35 pm
I know that some power users don't like it, but I've been using OpenOffice since 2002. I haven't had to steal a copy of MS Office in a long time. 
herbie @ Wed Aug 12, 2009 7:18 pm
leewgrant leewgrant:
Monopolistic or not it is sure handy to have a standard word processing program that we all use. Imagine the increased cost with multiple different programs where we all had to invest in assorted conversion software.
Might even approach 10% the cost of one MS Office upgrade!