Microsoft has released an update to Word 2007 that drops custom XML tagging technology from the software.

"The move was forced on Microsoft by a federal appeals court two weeks ago when it rejected the company's appeal of an injunction applied by a lower court several months ago," writes Computerworld's Gregg Keizer. "The case, which began in 2007, pitted Canadian software developer i4i against Microsoft when the former accused the latter of illegally using its XML editing technology in Word."

"In May 2009, a Texas jury said Microsoft violated i4i's patent, and ordered it to pay i4i nearly $300 million in damages," Keizer writes.

Click here to read the Computerworld story.