The long-winded lawsuit between Microsoft and Novell over Windows 95 applications development has finally come to a close in Microsoft's favor.
U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz ruled yesterday that there wasn't enough evidence to prove that Microsoft had tried to monopolize the applications market with its Windows 95 operating system.
"Although Novell presented evidence from which a jury could have found that Microsoft engaged in aggressive conduct, perhaps to monopolize or attempt to monopolize the applications market, it did not present evidence sufficient for a jury to find that Microsoft committed any acts that violated (antitrust laws) in maintaining its monopoly in the operating systems market," wrote Motz.
Novell sued Microsoft in 2004 claiming that the Windows maker had manipulated its Windows 95 operating system to be incompatible with Novell's WordPerfect and Quattro Pro programs in an effort to boost its own versions of the programs. Microsoft allegedly restricted outside programmers from accessing programming code needed to run Novell's software correctly. This supposedly prevented Novell from releasing its software for Windows 95 on time.
The trial began October 18, 2011 and ended in December after a 12-member jury panel was unable to reach a unanimous decision.
Novell's software depended on four pieces of programming code called name space extensions. These name space extensions hold information on how some applications are used in Windows. However, Judge Motz found that Microsoft's lack of support for these name space extensions was not enough evidence for Novell's inability to launch its software in Windows 95 within 90 days of its initial release.
"We've maintained throughout this case that Novell's arguments lack merit, and we're gratified with today's ruling dismissing the last of Novell's claims and putting this matter to rest," said David Howard, Microsoft deputy general counsel.
Novell was less enthused about the ruling, since the company sought $1.3 billion in damages.
"All WordPerfect wanted to do was compete with
Microsoft Word and Office on a reasonably level playing field," said Jeff Johnson, Novell's attorney. "Unfortunately, as you have seen, Mr. Gates and Microsoft had other plans."
