Lawyer: MS Word Shutdown Not a Problem

Just a day after it was reported that Microsoft's Word could be pulled from store shelves due to a copyright snafu, there's now word that such measures could be prevented -- and that the initial decision may not be as catastrophic as we were led to believe.

According to reports, Microsoft will almost surely be able to find an "easy technical work-around" to the injunction by a Texas federal judge earlier this week ordering the Redmond-based company to stop selling its popular Word software due to a copyright mix-up with Canadian firm i4i.

Headlines "not really true"

New York judge Barry Negrin, a partner in the prestigious Pryor Cashman LLP, says the story has been way overblown. "Headlines that say Microsoft can't sell Word are not really true," said Negrin. "The injunction doesn't apply to existing product that has already been sold." (Source: computerworld.com)

Negrin says all Microsoft will have to do is tweak Word by removing the custom XML feature. Negrin doesn't believe that should be a difficult process for Microsoft, which will also have to provide a different SKU number than has been traditionally used with Word.

Easy Fix, Complex Appeal

All in all, it's unlikely Microsoft Word will go the way of the Do-Do bird. "All Microsoft has to do is disable the custom XML feature, which should be pretty easy to do, then give that a different SKU number from what's been sold so it's easy to distinguish the two versions," Negrin added.

Furthermore, Microsoft has not been ordered to alter any of the millions of copies of Word 2003 and 2007 that have been sold to users worldwide. Why? Because back in May, Microsoft paid Toronto-based i4i a hefty $240 million in damages for an infringement on one of its patents, essentially 'covering' all of those old versions spread across the globe. (Source: crn.com)

As for the most recent finding demanding Word in its current form be removed from store shelves, Microsoft has announced it will appeal the decision. According to Negrin, that could take anywhere from 18 months to two years, and as of this morning Microsoft had not revealed when it would begin the lengthy process.