Summary: The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), comprising no scientists, rules in favour of software patents and thus endorses a $290 million fine, affecting OOXML

AS PROMISED, this is a standalone post about the i4i ruling at the SCOTUS.

So the news is just about everywhere, especially in the Canadian press (because i4i is a Canadian company). The SCOTUS ruled against Microsoft as we mentioned earlier. King of the trolls, Microsoft, suffers from a verdict which is good news for patent trolls. The i4i case is not about patent trolls (in fact, i4i does have products), but the consequence of it is that rogue patents get legitimacy from the incompetent and at times technically-illiterate SCOTUS (they went to law school many decades ago). The SCOTUS is against fundamental principles that legalese experts rarely grasp and it neglects the people's interests, too, not just technologists'. It helps monopolists under the assumption that their disinformation campaigns actually bear truths.

About Microsoft losing the case, Rui Seabra says that "being a patent aggressor themselves, they kind of deserve it, however... SCOTUS validating #swpat is definitely not good." As pointed out by the other side of this debate (patent lawyer Mike Wokasch):

Prediction: Breyer's concurrence, (w/ Alito & Scalia) re:role of courts, becomes important fodder for the anti-#swpat crowd. #patents #i4i

A FOSS respective on this case can be found in Groklaw, which calls it a "Disappointing Supreme Court decision". This was covered by Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols and Joe Brockmeier too. They explain the relevance to FOSS.

Here is the official decision [PDF] and other news coverage below. The success of Free software is hinged upon eradication of software patents because they impede dissemination. ⬆

• Microsoft loses Word patent appeal
• Microsoft loses U.S. Supreme Court case on patent
• The new standard for justice in patent law is i4i
• I4i wins Microsoft Word suit in U.S. Supreme Court
• Microsoft to pay $290m court fine
• Supreme Court decision could have big effect on patent law
• Microsoft loses $290m patent case over Word tool
• Supreme Court Ruling Seen as a Win for Patent Trolls
• How Microsoft lost 8-0 at the Supreme Court
• Microsofts failed attempt to change patent law forever
• Microsoft loses Supreme Court appeal in i4i case
• Supreme Court Upholds $290 Million Patent Ruling Against Microsoft
• Microsoft Loses Supreme Court Case
• Microsoft loses $300 million Supreme Court case
• Microsoft loses Supreme Court patent appeal
• i4i wins top court battle against Microsoft
• Supreme Court Upholds $290 Million Infringement Award Against Microsoft
• In i4i Case, High Court Pitches 8-0 Shutout Against Microsoft
• Microsoft loses in Supreme Court case versus i4i
• Supreme Court rules Microsoft must pay $290M in patent case
• Microsoft Will Have To Pay $300 Million Patent Fine (MSFT)
• US top court rules against Microsoft in patent case
• Microsoft v. i4i Decided: IP Community Crisis Averted?
• US Supreme Court shoots down Microsoft, orders i4i payday