Anyone who is using or redistributing OpenOffice.org must pay attention, as it appears that Microsoft is preparing to defend its crown jewel Office, either by licensing or litigation.

Remember the Microsoft-Sun deal of a few years ago? Part of the deal was coverage for users of StarOffice, the commercial distribution of OpenOffice.org offered by Sun:

The agreement in question was signed in April of this year as part of Sun and Microsoft's landmark multibillion dollar settlement. It was released as part of Sun's annual U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings Monday.

The April agreement says that Microsoft can seek damages from Open Office users or distributors for any copy of Open Office installed after April 1, 2004. However, users of Sun's commercial distribution of Open Office, called StarOffice are protected from legal liabilities under the agreement, said Russ Castronovo, a spokesman for Sun.

As we all know, Novell's "customers" now also enjoy protection from Microsoft litigation as well.

So, now you have your choice - accept Microsoft's license terms, which both Sun and Novell have seen as necessary, or risk Microsoft's wrath. And, having seen the lengths that they are willing to go to stem the adoption of ODF, I am not taking any chances.