Judge Grants Microsoft An Appeal Hearing

After Microsoft was sued by i4i Inc. on allegations that Microsoft Word violated a 1998 patent, Microsoft filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. It appears that a judge from the court has granted Microsoft a hearing which has been schedule for September 23rd. Microsoft’s US$290 million fine has been put on hold until after the hearing. If it’s lost, Microsoft will have only 15 days to pay that outrageous fee.

Also, if Microsoft loses the hearing and it is ordered to stop selling Word once and for all, companies like Dell, HP, and Best Buy will seem be affected as well. Not to mention that Microsoft’s appeal warns that “consumers and businesses who require new copies of Word and Office would be stranded without an alternative set of software.”

[ PC Mag ]