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A few weeks ago we learned that Microsoft was to halt the sale of Word, one of its most popular applications.  The ban of Word came from a patent dispute with the Canadian company i4i that holds the patent for “custom XML.”  The suit saw Microsoft having to pay damages and halt the sale of the program that infringes the patent, which is Word.

Now it looks as if that ban will be halted, or at least delayed.  Microsoft gained the stay of the injunction through an order from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.  This isn’t the end, however, far from it.  Microsoft and i4i will give their arguments to the Court of Appeals on September 23, 2009.  The original ruling was to have the program banned from sale within 60 days, putting it in mid-October.

We knew Microsoft was appealing the decision, so the delay comes as no big surprise.  Even if this does end with the injunction staying as it was, there’s no way Microsoft will allow Word to not be sold.  If the Court of Appeals rules in favor of i4i, expect Microsoft to write them a check to license the XML they used for Word files.  If the ruling comes down for Microsoft, maybe i4i will try to go after other companies that might infringe on their patent.  Or maybe we can all go back to having no idea who i4i is.

Read [Reuters]