● 02.27.08

●● Microsoft Owes the EU $2.5 Billion, More for Patent Abuses

Posted in Antitrust, Europe, Law, Microsoft, Patents, Servers, Windows at 10:10 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Feelin’ the heat again…

Okay, so we pretty much knew about this a couple of days ago, but here it is officially: [Pointer from "CoolGuy"]

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European antitrust regulators on Wednesday fined Microsoft $1.3 billion for failing to comply with a 2004 judgment that the company had abused its market dominance.

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The new fine by the European Commission brings the total fines levied on Microsoft to about $2.5 billion in current exchange rates.

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If you think that’s bad, consider Microsoft's financial woes and be aware that it has just had a wound reopened — a fairly major patent lawsuit, whose target was Microsoft’s cash cow.

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A federal court which hears patent appeals told a lower court on Tuesday to reconsider damages that Microsoft must pay a Guatemalan inventor for infringing his software in its popular Office Suite.

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Despite the release of Server 2008 (which itself is bound to become a Vista-like disappointment, based on reports), this will be remembered as an appalling day for Microsoft, especially in the legal department. █

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