Microsoft looses Uniloc case
p2pnet news view | Security:-A patent infringement case brought against Microsoft six years ago for pirating DRM (in effect) software has borne fruit —- for the plaintiff, a Singapore company.
Microsoft is, strangely, “disappointed”.
The anti-piracy app vendor, Uniloc, was awarded $388 million, says The Register.
Uniloc, “makes software that prevents the creation, distribution and use of unauthorized copies of software,” says the IDG News Service.
“The company had accused Microsoft of infringing on a patent in the anti-piracy software registration system Microsoft uses as part of its product activation system.”
Redmond is “disappointed with the verdict and added it planned to appeal,” says El Reg.
Uniloc targeted Microsoft’s Windows XP operating system and some Office programs, says the San Jose Mercury News.
Microsoft argued it used a different method for registering software and that Uniloc’s patent was invalid, says the story, adding:
“The $388 million equals about eight days of profit for the company, based on fiscal second-quarter net income of $4.17 billion on sales of $16.6 billion.”
The Register – Microsoft ordered to pay $388m patent infringement damages, April 9, 2009
IDG News Service – Jury Awards $388 Million in Microsoft Patent Violation Case, April 8, 2009
San Jose Mercury News - Microsoft told to pay $388 million over piracy patent, April 8, 2009
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April 10th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
loses, not looses, jon.
yor speeling iz getin wurse frum reeding all doze comentz.
April 10th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
HEY! I rezembell that!
: )
April 10th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
@ catflap
Congadulatioms! You fopund my deliberate Easter speeloing miostyake!
Cheers!
April 10th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
I’m almost hoping that this one patent is upheld. In general, software patents are clearly a bad thing. But this patent being upheld would have two potential effects that I can see.
1. it would make DRM much *much* more expensive for big business and the RIAA to keep doing. They would be forced to license the technology, and then at least we would have one regulatory business (Uniloc) instead of thousands. With luck, the result would be an end of DRM de facto, because those companies that want to use it can’t afford it.
2. If it is upheld, due to the threat discussed above, the big businesses that are doing DRM might get the hint that software patents == bad, for them, and not just for us. But the result would be millions of dollars thrown at lobbyists to get software patents ousted. Just what we want
.
The only real danger that I can see is if Uniloc decides to cheaply license their patent. In that case, a third option would be that the big businesses *do* license the patent, and we’re in exactly the same position we’re in now, except that at least one broad software patent is found to be legitimate, which would be bad precedent for us.
So, in a very real sense, I hope the judge has their senses twisted to support this software patent
April 10th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Karma is a bitch aint it M$?