Microsoft is able to relax a little | 1 Lawsuit Tossed | A detail forgotten

In 2009 Microsoft (MS) has seen a verdict against them on two separate occasions, both of them monumental relatively speaking ( $388 Million & $200 Million judgments against MS). This article explains why the judge tossed the $388 Million verdict stating that juries are often unable to sift through complex patent issues and that the judicial system is found wanting in these types of cases.

So the $288 Million verdict still looms (link to article). The most important aspect of this verdict is that they would have to stop selling their MS Word product come October 1st (Today)….and my guess is that no retailers flinched a muscle thinking they would actually pull them off the shelves. Later Microsoft was awarded a delay due to the harm it would cause the company long term and popular thought is that this case will also be tossed.

Detail Forgotten
So……what does this really mean? People are sue happy? Yes. But the more compelling aspect is that MS is on public trial. While a jury may be found lacking the skills needed to make a ruling on an IP issue, they do represent a popular notion – that the public just doesn’t like MS anymore. They are the game favorite and everyone roots for the underdog; it’s the American way. They are one of the go-to-business success stories of the last 100 years; however what they have working against them is that other future success stories stand on the notion that they fall, and fall hard, to competition. When we tell stories of success it presupposes others’ failures, directly or indirectly. To become the market leader you must overtake. To become the new way of doing things you must replace the old way of doing things.