Microsoft: Payback Time!
Published by: Codrut Nistor, in News
June24th2008
I don't know why this keeps happening so often lately, but at least in the last few months, Microsoft kept losing various lawsuits and being forced to pay various amounts to other companies for patent infringements, but the hardest hits came from the European Comission. Anyway, fortunately for the Redmond giant, today is not about the EC. Unfortunately, the amount they have to pay is a bit more than just pocket money, because a federal judge just ordered them to pay Alcatel-Lucent no less than half a billion dollars!
Here's the story - the jury decided that Microsoft is guilty for patent infringement related to two patents, one covering how software users select a calendar date from a menu, and the other, related to using a stylus on a tablet PC. This is a 5 years old legal fight, but since Microsoft vowed to appeal the decision...
In an email statement, Microsoft spokesman David Bowermaster said "We are disappointed that Judge Huff denied our request for a new trial. We plan to appeal the rulings against us. We are confident that the damages award against Microsoft will not be sustained on appeal."
Well, you can't always get what you want, and since they weren't happy with the latest decision, which granted Alcatel-Lucent "only" $357.7 million in damages, I can say Microsoft did this to themselves more than anyone else. If they are not happy with the last decision either, I guess the next judge to take the case may grant Alcatel-Lucent even more...and I wouldn't like to be around Steve Ballmer when he finds out!
In an email statement, Microsoft spokesman David Bowermaster said "We are disappointed that Judge Huff denied our request for a new trial. We plan to appeal the rulings against us. We are confident that the damages award against Microsoft will not be sustained on appeal."
Well, you can't always get what you want, and since they weren't happy with the latest decision, which granted Alcatel-Lucent "only" $357.7 million in damages, I can say Microsoft did this to themselves more than anyone else. If they are not happy with the last decision either, I guess the next judge to take the case may grant Alcatel-Lucent even more...and I wouldn't like to be around Steve Ballmer when he finds out!
Loading ...
2 Comments on Microsoft: Payback Time!
On 06/24/2008 at 8:26 pm Rob W said:
Wait a sec...
* "no less than half a billion dollars!"
* "$357.7 million in damages"
Isn't that by definition "less than"? $142.3 million is a pretty serious rounding error....
Anyway, nitpicks aside, I have a sneaking suspicion that these kinds of lawsuits are what will finally force software patent reform in this country. Microsoft has certainly profited by taking advantage as much as possible of patents for "obvious" things, but the more they get *burned* by the same thing, the more they may lobby for some actual sensible reform.
Because honestly, do these things *sound* like inventions that should be patentable? A method of selecting a calendar date from a menu? That just has all the earmarks of a bullshit patent. Dunno about the stylus thing as well, but it's more than likely something a 12-year-old could have come up with, an obvious tweak on what everyone was already doing.
On 06/24/2008 at 8:40 pm Codrut Nistor said:
Sorry, my bad, the 357.7 million was the figure before Microsoft got an appeal. Now, the figure is somewhere above 500 million. It seems I was thinking about it, but I forgot to make it clear...my bad, thanks for noticing!
I guess a software AND hardware patent reform is needed. I can't stop thinking about Apple's lawsuit filed against that small company manufacturing air filters called AirPods!
I completely agree with you. Probably one day someone will get a patent for "a method of eating by choosing the favorite dish from a plate and using a fork and knife to move it into your mouth..."
Want to add something? Post your comments