Microsoft, Autodesk ripped bloke off

A Texas jury agreed with the bloke and forced the Vole to hand over $133 million to David Colvin, founder of z4 Technologies Inc.

Autodesk, too, was asked to give Colvin a brown paper bag, or other such item, stuffed full with $18 million in readies.

Colvin sued the two software companies, claiming they pinched two of his anti-piracy software patents. These, the rascals then used as their own, in Microsoft's Office and Windows XP and Autodesk's AutoCad.

As usual, after being found guilty by a court, Micrcsoft came out protesting its innocence.

Spokesvole Jack Evans emailed Reuters to say the company was "disappointed" with the verdict.

"We continue to contend," wrote Evans, "that there was no infringement of any kind and that the facts in this case show that Microsoft developed its own product activation technologies well before z4 Technologies filed for its patent."

A pleased-as-punch Colvin was reported untraceable. µ

L'INQ
Reuters