Crisis of Microsoft Lawsuit

Crisis of Microsoft Lawsuit

The Microsoft Lawsuit: Microsoft vs. Sun

The emergence of computers has brought a name in the computing industry as the giant of all giants - the Microsoft. Microsoft is a company that was started and established by one of the richest man in the world today, Bill Gates. Whenever we use a computer, we must remember that 98% of all computer users in the world uses Microsoft applications and tools as the major content that fills the hard disks space of our computers. Microsoft has indeed achieved the trust and confidence of most computer users worldwide.

Despite of the success that Microsoft has been reaping from its patrons, who are continuously growing in number, and where most of the Microsoft products became the standard tools for them, a large number of issues are being faced by the company. Most of which are lawsuits concerning contracts with other leading companies in the computing industry. Lawsuits that purely concerns business and legality issues regarding the products of Microsoft as well as their method of implementing such products.

One of the lawsuit that was filed against Microsoft was that of the Sun Microsystems' objection concerning a contract between Microsoft and Sun. Particularly involved was Sun Microsystem's protest in reference to Microsoft's development and distribution of Java-based applications and technology. Sun's lawsuit relates to the validity of Microsoft's rights to use Sun's product -- Java. The lawsuit purposely serves the assurance that the Java technology will remain to hold product integrity in the future.

As a brief, Sun Microsystems filed a case against Microsoft systems in 1997.

Sun v. Microsoft

Case History online indicates the following information of the lawsuit.

On October 7, 1997, Sun Microsystems Inc. sued Microsoft Corp in U.S. District Court for breaching its contractual obligation to deliver products that compatibly implement Sun's Java technology.

Microsoft was found to use the Java technology that they have, which, unfortunately are outdated. Further, Microsoft did not comply with their agreement with Sun that the products they will develop will be Java technology compatible. Sun tried to make serious negotiations with Microsoft. However, unfortunately, Sun ended up in deciding to take the necessary step legally against Microsoft.

The lawsuit that Sun Microsystems had filed against Microsoft can obviously benefit Sun's users, developers, and licensees. For Sun, the opportunities and capabilities that the Java technology can provide must not be taken for granted. To maximize the use of Java, such as making it compatible to a wide range of machines and platforms, is something that Sun aims to achieve. According to the article Sun v. Microsoft Case History,

The ability to maximize compatibility and minimize porting is the central value of the Java platform, and that value is worth fighting for, even if it requires litigation.

Such goal of Java can be achieved through a wide cooperation from their colleagues and from the cooperation of companies in the computing industry. Hence, Sun made an agreement with Microsoft to have compatibilities between Java technology and their platforms. The article further indicates Sun's reason for a need to have full-cooperation network wide,

Achieving the full potential of the Java platform requires industry-wide cooperation and compatible implementation. Sun's contracts are designed to ensure that our licensees maintain that compatibility.

Microsoft, on the other hand, countered Sun's petition. They did not comply with the request that in turn had motivated Sun to alleviate the matter in legal court. Unfortunately, for Microsoft, the court ruled in favor of the Sun Microsystems. Microsoft, however, agreed to make a settlement with Sun to protect the integrity of the future Java platform, and to protect their businesses as well. Microsoft offered Sun with $20 million dollar to terminate their previous licenses contract with Sun.