$1.5B Fine Overturned For Microsoft

ddrichardson writes "Following up on an earlier story, Microsoft's $1.5bn fine in the case with Alcatel-Lucent has been overturned. Microsoft are claiming a "victory for consumers". From the article: 'A US court has overturned a decision ordering Microsoft to pay phone firm Alcatel-Lucent $1.52bn (£777m) for infringing music patents. The federal judge in San Diego reversed a jury's decision which had ruled that Microsoft's Media Player software infringed on two Alcatel patents.'"

Comments

A good thing for the software industry

[elrous0]

While it may cause many of the MS-bashers here to grit their teeth, it's still good news that this ruling was reversed. This case had ramifications WAY beyond any hassle for MS. Such a sizeable and far-reaching ruling over a couple of obscure patents would have sent a shockwave through the software industry--scaring the hell out of developers and encouraging the patent trolls even more (as if they're not encouraged enough as it is).

It wouldn't take many cases like this to start a financial recession in the entire software industry and send venture capitalists scurrying away from any software startup.

Re:A good thing for the software industry

[RabidOverYou]

Yes, but who are you? You spelled you're, aren't, and even loose right.
Five digit id, username CTalkobt ... oh my god, you're a Computer Talking Robot. I, uh, welcome our ... damn how does that go again?

Ho Hum

[TinBromide]

I'd like to post something witty, funny, or something about how outraged i am about all these patent trolls. Possibly something saying its a shame that they aren't sticking it to microsoft. But when there's like 3-4 patent news items on the front page (possibly only 2 right now), and that's the case every day, i just wish that it would stop. Nothing funny, nothing insightful, just same news, different day.

Any time that a patent troll, anywhere, is defeated, its a victory for all, not just consumers. More judges need to rule that software patents of the obvious are unconstitutional (i think it was covered by the suffrage amendment) so that slashdot can return to reporting on google and the iphone instead of these patent stories.

I think this is probably a GOOD thing...

[CodeShark]

In lieu of patent reform, in general I am for the defendant in any patent trolling case, which this appears to be. Even though my Linux loving heart hates to see M$ win anything. But given that Fraunhofer wasn't sued, this looks alot more like trying to shoot the biggest fish in the barrel with a pellet gun and expecting the fish and everyone involved to roll over and play dead, AKA pay up. So if M$ won this time, good for them.

Prolly good for us as well.

Why is everyone so apologitic?

[91degrees]

Microsoft is just a company with good and bad aspects. They are not evil incarnate. Stop apologising for being pleased with the news!

Good decision

[I'm Don Giovanni]

Microsoft made good faith effort to license the technology in question from Fraunhofer for $16 million. But Alcatel-Lucent claimed that Microsoft licensed it from the wrong party. Even if that were the case, then Microsoft should only have been ordered to pay ~$16 million to Alcatel-Lucent, not 1.5 billion. That's why I felt the jury decision was BS. Why apply punitive damages to Microsoft when they made good faith effort to comply with the patent?

Re:Good decision

[jedidiah]

...except it's the jury that gets to decide that: for better or worse.

So it's not so cut and dried. There are plenty of things to be for or against in this case.

Making a habit of ignoring juries has far wider implications than just patent trolls.