Seriously has anyone actually looked at MSWords xml editor?
I dont like microsoft but come on, this whole thing is just plain ridiculous.
Even by 2003 standards the xml support in ms word is substandard.
There are multiple shareware products: XML Marker, Stylus Studio and Notepad++ to name a few that are free and are more useful.
In addition there are multiple tools which only have a $50 per seat licenses if you want something more graphic.
There are even multiple applications available to parse your xml document into a word document or pdf (Which despite not being what was patented was the only thing of interest in i4i's product).
Ignoring the fact that patenting xml editing is like patenting the ability to edit C++ or java who would even seriously consider using ms word to edit xml documents when there are much better options out there.
And you definitely wouldn't base your purchase of the office suite on the ability to gable your xml documents into tags (losing your attributes and most of your leaf node values).
Given that a quick look at their website indicates that the i4i's product's only real claim to fame is the ability to generate doc files and pdfs (which not only is a common ability technically it violates Microsoft and adobes patents).
I fail to see what great innovation i4i is protecting.
Whats more it appears to simply be a word pluggin anyway.
Their business more likely suffered because most of their target customers where not willing to pay a (presumably) large per seat fee for an app that added little value over other alternatives.
Whats next EMAC suing word because the ability to write text documents. (Yes I know EMAC wasn't the first text editor that's kind of my point).
But given the product in question largely useless value (useless in the sense that it does not innovate nor does it do anything that hasn't been done before) all this really means is MS pays an impressively over inflated price for including common xml functionality in it's product. Pushing up what it charges to cover the increased expense. In addition it freezes ms word sales to Europe until office 10.
Why does not feel like a success for the little software vendor out there per se?
Microsoft loses appeal on Word injunction
