Microsoft Seeks XML-Related Patents

It's interesting to me that first Microsoft sold their Office 2003 Pro with the value proposition that it would write data as XML which would make Word documents, spreadsheets, etc. more extensible and usable. But I guess they've changed their minds, as c|net News.com reported that they have filed patents in New Zealand and the EU that cover word processing documents stored in XML.

You may recall that Microsoft published their schemas, but patenting them could result in licensing fees. This closes the openess of the system...