Microsoft Admonished by U.S. District Court Judge 178
An anonymous reader writes "The Seattle Times reports that the judge in the z4 'product activation' patent infringement case has increased the jury's original $115 million verdict against Microsoft by $25 million. Both Microsoft and Autodesk (another defendant) were admonished by the judge for misconduct. The judge wrote 'The Court concludes that Defendants attempted to bury the relevant 107 exhibits ... in a massive pile of decoys' and called one failure to disclose evidence 'an intentional attempt by Defendants to mislead z4 and this Court.'"
Microsoft acting unethically? (Score:5, Informative)
I think Microsoft needs to read their own Put it in writing: Your business has ethics [microsoft.com] - particularly point 8:
You ever read that Steve or Bill?
Mind you - I'm not exactly on z4's 'side' here - I don't like software patents (and it doesn't look like z4 have a product, but rather are an 'IP' company). That said however, live by the sword, die by the sword hey MS? Want to enforce your FAT patents? Expect more of this sort of shit in the future.
Re:For a few dollars more.... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Can't help but think of SCO (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Ooh, the irony (Score:2, Informative)
No, a large corporation has infringed on a small company's patent. The small company doesn't appear to actually produce any software or other tangible products; they just claim to own a bunch of ideas.
The software in question was written wholly by Microsoft, and probably without reference to anything owned or produced by z4 at all. Unfortunately for Microsoft, ignorance of an obscure patent is no excuse for daring to have the same idea.
Re:For a few dollars more.... (Score:4, Informative)
Believe me, Kolitkoff is not alone in his predictions, though of course the US could take action to forestall the bankruptcy and reneging on its debts.
Look to Anjan Thakor (Olin School of Business) to discuss Kotlikoff's paper in the next Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Review.
Re:Long Trial (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Can't help but think of SCO (Score:3, Informative)
And when IBM's Lanham Act counterclaims start being litigated, there will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth in Lindon. For now, the judges are bending over backwards and then some to make the case appeal-proof.
Re:Everyone has to pay Royalty Eh? (Score:1, Informative)
Microsoft Patents 5418 [uspto.gov]
IBM Patents 43891 [uspto.gov]
a massive pile of decoys (Score:3, Informative)
As for the patent it is of course totally uninventive, obvious, there is prior art and any skilled person would have come up the the same thing without reading the method [uspto.gov].
When are they going to fix that crock known as the US patent system?
Re:Keep it in perspective (Score:3, Informative)
You still haven't made a cogent point. You have fuck all for karma here and no friends. We are from roughly the same era, yet I have excellent karma and hundreds of friends. Not that that means anything definite, but it's interesting.
I'm done, debating with you has been a pointless waste of words. Have fun smooching Billy's ass.