MS can opt to sue OpenOffice users

[xxgriff]

just thought this was funny, considering the position they have held in the eyes of the DoJ. if you installed after April 1, 2004 they can (because of the Sun-Mcirosoft settlement), but it seems unlikely they will.

i read about it here:

http://arstechnica.com/news/posts/20040916-4192.html

[spiderman2k1]

opernoffice is better then MSoffice. I hope every thing work out for openoffice

[MikieV]

Thanks for the link. The last sentence says it all.

"Be that as it may, the threat of possible legal action — even if remote — may cause organizations considering a move to OpenOffice.org to think twice."

If that isn't the classic M$ strategy of spreading "F.U.D.", I don't know what is.

[Garibaldi]

Sorry, I'm kind of lost. Isn't it the user's choice of which software that they want to use, even if it can open .doc documents? Whats the difference, if you really wanted to open a word document in another text editor you could just save it as txt.

[RabidDog]

m$oft learned everything It knows about FUD from IBM.

[jimmalenko]

Sorry, I'm kind of lost. Isn't it the user's choice of which software that they want to use, even if it can open .doc documents? Whats the difference, if you really wanted to open a word document in another text editor you could just save it as txt.

You would need word or another editor to get into the .doc file in the first place though

I think Microsoft are getting a bit high and mighty because they "own" the .doc format. They have no real responsibility to ensure that users can open Word docs in other programs. Kinda like PDFs a couple of years ago - if you didn't have adobe, you couldn't view the file.

[Wilbert]

You have to quote it right:

The Sun/Microsoft settlement specifies that Microsoft won't sue Sun or licensees of Sun's StarOffice suite over patent infringements. But the same isn't true of OpenOffice. (...)
According to the settlement between the two, Microsoft and Sun agreed not to sue each other or their respective customers for patent infringements that were alleged to have occurred before April 2004, as well as 10 years into the future.

Microsoft can always sue OpenOffice users for patent infringements, also before April. Btw, StarOffice is based upon OpenOffice.

[mujahid7ia]

Sorry, I'm kind of lost. Isn't it the user's choice of which software that they want to use, even if it can open .doc documents? Whats the difference, if you really wanted to open a word document in another text editor you could just save it as txt.

You would need word or another editor to get into the .doc file in the first place though

I think Microsoft are getting a bit high and mighty because they "own" the .doc format. They have no real responsibility to ensure that users can open Word docs in other programs. Kinda like PDFs a couple of years ago - if you didn't have adobe, you couldn't view the file.

But you can create Word docs in OO, right?

[xsbs52x]

i tried openoffice a little while ago, and i wasnt all that impressed. i like MS word better. i do really like the fact that OO is open source, so obviously in the future i could change my mind (assuming that microsoft pulls its head out of its ass and doesnt sue anyone over this).

[proxyx99]

That is a normal tactics that any business would use. The fact they are big doesn't change a thing. They have to be always on a lookout. How long did it take Enron to hit the bottom (Worldcom, Global Crossing etc.)? Those who post blaming anything and everything on MS need to brush up on basic business management principles. Procter and Gamble does the same thing to your washing powder. If they could have it their way you'd be showering with Tide.

[vitualis]

This "fear" is somewhat out of perspective.

I can "opt" to sue just about anyone too. That doesn't mean that I will do it.

Similarly, Microsoft can "opt" to sue anyone too (except for Sun as detailed in their agreement/settlement).

For MS to do so, they will have to show "patent infringement". If that is referring to MS Office formats, that would not be that simple. There are a multitude of programs that can read and write MS Office formats... and the "formats" themselves are hardly a trade secret. I would bet that the "formats" have been independently reverse-engineered for compatibility dozens of times by different people.

Regards.

[MikieV]

This "fear" is somewhat out of perspective.

I can "opt" to sue just about anyone too. That doesn't mean that I will do it.

Similarly, Microsoft can "opt" to sue anyone too (except for Sun as detailed in their agreement/settlement).

For MS to do so, they will have to show "patent infringement". If that is referring to MS Office formats, that would not be that simple. There are a multitude of programs that can read and write MS Office formats... and the "formats" themselves are hardly a trade secret. I would bet that the "formats" have been independently reverse-engineered for compatibility dozens of times by different people.

I agree. I just am leary of the fact that they have gone to such lengths to "keep the door open" (in a legal sense) - when the possibility is so remote of them acting on it. As the linked story mentions:

The issue at stake is whether OpenOffice.org violates any of Microsoft's patents. The open source suite offers its users the ability to open and save documents in Microsoft Office-compatible formats, and Microsoft apparently feels that some of that functionality (as well as other OpenOffice.org features) infringe on its intellectual property. If so, should new OpenOffice.org users live in fear of a lawsuit? Probably not.

Just because it's standard business practice, doesn't mean I have to be fond of the idea - no matter which company is involved.

[burnman99]

If we could just get M$Soft to sue the RIAA or MPAA...or vice versa

Have fun stormin' the castle!

Rog

[proxyx99]

Just because it's standard business practice, doesn't mean I have to be fond of the idea - no matter which company is involved.

Agreed. They are cautious, as they should be. It is usually easier (and wiser) to try preventing a problem rather then deal with it occuring.

With so many "friends" especially in the industry no wonder they make some controled moves to show that they are watching. That's all.

Let's keep in mind that whatever they do is usually blown out of proportions due to some bad press they got in recent years. As to .doc format: wasn't it Word Perfect that has first used it (I may be wrong)?

[vitualis]

I'm pretty sure that Word Perfect did not use the "DOC" format. I think that was first used by Microsoft Word for Windows. It may be, but I don't remember if it was used by the DOS version of Word.

Regards.

[Thomas Davie]

Jesus. How many times does it have to be said; US copyright law does NOT hold in every single country on this planet. For example, although I do not advocate downloading music, I can legally do so as long as I reside in Canada. This settlement means nothing.

Tom

[DereX888]

If we could just get M$Soft to sue the RIAA or MPAA...or vice versa

Have fun stormin' the castle!

Rog

Yest, that would be something

I am always surprised RIAA never sued i.e. Lernout & Hauspie (creators of MP3 codec), or any CD-ripping tool coders, or even burner manufacturers... After all these *are* the tools allowing to copy copyrighted music discs, similarily as DeCSS allowed for copying DVDs.

[DereX888]

Jesus. How many times does it have to be said; US copyright law does NOT hold in every single country on this planet. For example, although I do not advocate downloading music, I can legally do so as long as I reside in Canada. This settlement means nothing.

Tom

Thats true; however huge majority of english-speaking web users (and discussing such events as this) are from mighty USA, therefore majority of people posting here unfortunately fall under such laws.