Legal Issues

Legal Issues

by Mike Masnick




Developer Plans To Sue Microsoft Customers

from the the-SCO-legal-strategy dept

A developer of Microsoft applications in Australia is claiming that the latest release of Microsoft Office violates patents that he has applied for, and warns that anyone buying the software may be opening themselves up to being sued by him. Of course (as Microsoft points out) the guy hasn't actually received any patents yet, so he might want to wait until it's actually been determined that the "intellectual property" is his. At the same time, Microsoft says there's pretty clear prior art, so they're not worried. Finally, if this really is a patent violation, why threaten to sue the customers instead of focusing on Microsoft?

3 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

Reader Comments

(Flattened / Threaded)

    Oct 28th, 2003 @ 12:15pm
  • He's read too many SCO press releases?

    by Oliver Wendell Jones

    why threaten to sue the customers instead of focusing on Microsoft?

    He's read too many SCO press releases? That's the only thing I can think of...

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Oct 28th, 2003 @ 1:21pm
  • His strategy

    by Lester Burnham

    This guy is going for a "shut up and go away" settlement from Microsoft. If he sued MS directly, he would have to commit to a head-to-head legal battle. By threatening to sue their customers, I'm guessing that he is hoping that he will generate so much publicity that it will cut into Microsoft's business. Enough lost business and it will be cheaper for Microsoft to pay him off than to ignore him.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    • Oct 28th, 2003 @ 2:30pm
    • Re: His strategy

      by Mr. Fazookus


      Which brings us back to SCO ;-)

      I think Linus said it best (more or less) "SCO is playing the American legal system like a lottery". Maybe it'll work elsewhere.

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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