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Microsoft loses piracy patent appeal

27 November 2007 18:13 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz | 7 comments

Microsoft and Autodesk have lost their patent appeal against the company z4 over patents surrounding anti-piracy technologies. The companies will need to pay $160 million USD in total penalties for the infringements.

z4's patents relate to technology that provide a "method for software to be activated once it is installed. The same technology could also be used to deactivate the software in an effort to deter piracy."

z4 sued both companies in 2004 and a federal jury found both companies liable for patent infringement in 2006. Microsoft has to pay $115 million in fines and $25 million for willful patent infringement. Autodesk must pay $18 million.

Microsoft did make it clear however that the decision would not affect XP, Vista, or Office 2003 or 07.

Source:
BetaNews

Permalink to this article

Tech Exhibitors raided at CeBIT (6 March 2008)

EFF worried patent reform will halt watchdog project (6 February 2008)

Microsoft continues fight against piracy (11 December 2007)

Update: z4 sues Microsoft again (30 November 2007)

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Discuss this article!
RNR1995 (Inactive) 27 November 2007 22:28
M$ will never pay [ + quote]
pryme_H (Senior Member) 28 November 2007 0:40
Ouch! Microsoft needs to get good lawyers like Apple. LOL! [ + quote]
gozilla (Member) 28 November 2007 19:36
i'm sure the weekly wage bill of Microsoft's lawyers far exceeds the fine they copped (so one should assume they are good). on a side note what $115 million to a company (or a person like bill gates?). not even a slap on the wrist. [ + quote]
editmon (Newbie) 30 November 2007 9:24
geez, I don't even know who to root for in this case. Kinda like taking sides with the devil or the anti-christ. [ + quote]
spydah (Junior Member) 1 December 2007 10:31
I dont care who wins but M$ has been using other companies idea's for years and running with it so if they have to pay they deserve it. [ + quote]
borhan9 (AfterDawn Addict) 20 December 2007 18:27
Well M$ will pay lawyers instead of the others. [ + quote]
Shegax (Junior Member) 20 December 2007 18:49
I hope linux has a breakthrough soon and Microsoft starts to go under. Opensourse is on it's way up and people will soon be tired of microsofts monopoly....(hopefully) [ + quote]