Microsoft Corp. should pay Alcatel- Lucent $1.52 billion, a federal jury said, deciding the world's biggest software maker used digital music technology without permission and handing down the largest patent ruling in history.
The San Diego jury said today that Microsoft infringed two Alcatel-Lucent patents with its Windows Media Player, including the version in the new Vista operating system. Microsoft pledged to challenge the verdict.
The decision allows Alcatel-Lucent, the world's biggest maker of communications equipment, to seek an order barring Microsoft from using the patented technology. Alactel-Lucent's victory also may clear the way for legal actions against hundreds of companies that rely on MP3, the standard for playing music and sound files on a computer, mobile phone or digital-music player.
''The damages award seems particularly outrageous when you consider we paid Fraunhofer only $16 million to license this technology,'' Microsoft Deputy General Counsel Tom Burt said in an e-mailed statement. ''Today's outcome is therefore disappointing for us and for the hundreds of other companies who have licensed MP3 technology.''
Microsoft, which had almost $29 billion in cash and short- term investments as of Dec. 31, said it will ask U.S. District Judge Rudi M. Brewster to overturn the verdict and will seek further review in an appeals court if necessary.
New report from Skillsearch found that 22% of those surveyed had been laid off within the past 12 months.
It's a step forward for Stop Killing Games.
The Callisto Protocol director thinks the solution involves the right people, the right timing, and perhaps a little bit of AI
I don't agree with that. I WISH I could agree with that. But buying habits and customer opinions prove otherwise
We've seen developers in the AAA space try new things and ideas. More often than not, the customers aren't willing to give things a chance, or not enough people buy into the project for it to grow.
Creativity works better in the indie space because the budgets, pressures, and expectations aren't the same.
it's a nice idea and it worked during the PS2/PS3-era when AAA didn't cost hundreds of millions of dollars. smaller budgets and shorter development time left room for more creativity and more risk. a game didn't need to sell 4 million+ copies to break even. things are different now.
This is the guy who bragged about crunching his staff and having them work through the night. Crunch culture has lost more talent and done more damage to the industry than any other factor. Screw him.
Billy G. has this amount under his sofa cushions in the basement. I don't think the judge will be able to resist the crooning, begging, and grooming that MS will lay on him. MS's people make Washington lobbyists look like teenagers begging for the carkeys on a Friday night. The ruling looks foreboding for the software giant in the short run, but there's an 'ol saying in the U.S.
Money talks and Bull$hit walks.
Just kidding your bubbles seem to say your not as true as a gamer as one would hope. You might say you lean towards eing a super Sony fan(wolf in sheeps clothing). Have you ever posted bad news about Sony/Ps3?.
? why should MS have to pay that much in damages? It does seem a little unreasonable. Just because they can doesn't mean its fair.
same!
EDIT: The reply feature seems broken, thats the second time i tried to reply.....
I like playing the devil's advocate, too... sometimes.