Mandatory Office and Access Update, Says Microsoft

This time, it's not a question of vulnerabilities, viruses or whatever security breach you might have gotten used to hearing from the Redmond software giant. This matter is revolving around a patent infringement, starring Microsoft and one Guatemalan, named Carlos Amado. The update users must install will clear this matter and in addition, Microsoft will pay the inventor 9 million dollars in damages.

The count ruling was announced last year in June, when Carlos Armando Amado stated that he had filed for a patent in 1990 for software that links Microsoft's Excel program with its Access database application using only single spreadsheet. He unsuccessfully tried to sell it to Microsoft two years later. During the hearings last year, Amado initially asked for compensation worth a mere $500 million.

The suit claims that the software company began using the data-linking technology in Access 95 and through future versions of Access, to 2002.

Starting last week, Microsoft began informing clients about the install they will have to go through for Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack (SP) 2, which ensures they will be able to run Office Professional Edition 2003 and Office Access 2003. They would also have to install the Microsoft Office XP SP3 Patch for all future deployments of Office XP Professional and Access 2002.