markxx@garnet.berkeley.edu (03/28/89)
[The following is a citation from Info World, March 20, 1989] Microsoft Suffers Setback in Apple Suit Judge William Schwarzer last week issued a preliminary ruling against Microsoft in its legal battle with Apple, saying the 1985 contract between Apple and Microsoft does not cover Windows 2.03. The judge was ruling on a Microsoft argument that the contract gave the company the right to modify Windows as it wished, and that therefore the case need not deal with look and feel similarities between the Apple interface and Windows 2.03. The rejection of Microsoft's argument means that the case will be decided on look and feel issues. In his order, Judge Schwarzer said Apple could not have expected the contract to give Microsoft the kinds of rights Microsoft is claiming. At the hearing last week, Judge Schwazer asked attorneys for Apple, Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard to prepare desctiptions of the issues that will be discussed in the next phase of the trial. All the parties will meet in court agin on April 14 to set a schedual for discovery proceedings and trial dates. [Qoute ends - sorry for the long citation but I thought it best not to omit anything that might be interesting to others] My questions to the Net in general: -I have heard that there was also a ruling against Apple- is this so? If so, what was it? -What effect do you think this will have on the eventual outcome of the case (especially in light of the fact that many thought that it was at this point that Apple would lose)? -How does this effect Presentation Manager? -More personally- *what* do you think about this ruling? (not just flames either way- but how does this affect you?) Mark Ritchie markxx@garnet.Berkeley.EDU