$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.'"

Fine? or Judgement?

[Ohreally_factor]

The BBC article calls the overturned award a fine, but this seems incorrect. A judge and/or a jury awards damages in a tort case, they don't fine anyone. I expect such ignorance on slashdot, but on the BBC? I guess journalism is deteriorating internationally, not just in the US.

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:hmm.

[apodyopsis]

"However, if this means I can still use my MP3 player then I guess its not all bad."

You Americans. 'As long as I get what I want I'm OK with ________.'

It's not your opinions that amaze and piss off the world, it's your reasoning behind them.

I agree Americans can be like that. I, however, am British.

Also, look at the facts. Two large firms are suing each other in a case that might impact MP3 players. Whilst I am by no means not a MS fanboy - in fact I would not shed a tear if they were to lose their crushing monopoly overnight as I only use Linux at home - if they wish to spend their money on lawyers then thats fine, but don't touch my MP3 player.

Re:A good thing for the software industry

[Josh Booth]

Many people consider companies or named groups of people to be plural to emphasize the constituents. From Wikipedia [wikipedia.org]:

A number of words like army, company, crowd, fleet, government, majority, mess, number, pack, and party may refer either to a single entity or the members of the set that compose it. Thus, as H. W. Fowler describes, in British English they are "treated as singular or plural at discretion"; Fowler notes that occasionally a "delicate distinction" is made possible by discretionary plurals: "The Cabinet is divided is better, because in the order of thought a whole must precede division; and The Cabinet are agreed is better, because it takes two or more to agree."[6] Also in British English, names of towns and countries take plural verbs when they refer to sports teams but singular verbs when they refer to the actual place: England are playing Germany tonight refers to a football game, but England is the most populous country of the United Kingdom refers to the country. In North American English, such words are invariably treated as singular.

Re:hmm.

[Cal Paterson]

You Americans. 'As long as I get what I want I'm OK with ________.'

What a moronic generalisation. This statement neither a representation of what the GP even said, nor in any way correct.