 |
 |
|
 |
|
||||||
|
Microsoft found guilty of software piracy
A six-year old case regarding Microsoft's appropriation of SoftImage and their respective patents has now come to an ending, and the software giant has been found guilty of software piracy. Essential features of the SoftImage 3D animation package belong to a small French software developer, that has received no credit or royalty for its pioneer work. Microsoft itself, normally a verbose company when it comes to fighting software piracy, has refused all accusations and plans to appeal.
Back in the early 1990s, a new CGI animation company called Syn'x Relief had just developed a new application for 3D animation. Character was a delicate piece of software that featured a wide selection of new technologies and techniques for achieving realistic animations, and Syn'x Relief was among the pioneers of 3D technology at that time. During this period, several prize-winning films were developed using Character software, and the small French software developer caught the attention of several big names in the movie industry. While Disney, George Lucas and Thomson Digital Image were interested in purchasing or licensing the technology behind Character, in the end, a developer called SoftImage managed to come to an agreement with Syn'x Relief for integrating the unique functions of Character into their own SoftImage 3D software. Unfortunately, it took two years before SoftImage came with a final deal. They now demanded that Syn'x Relief signs up all their rights and only earn royalties - royalties 55 percent lower than foreseen in the initial contract. Syn'x refused these terms but, in the meantime, SoftImage had been appropriated by Microsoft. In March 1995, Microsoft and Syn'x agreed to split - and Microsoft promised to remove all of Character's unique functionalities from SoftImage. However, only one of these were removed, while a total of eight still existed in SoftImage's modules. Even today, four of these functions are still unique for the market. After writing several letters to Microsoft demanding the removal of these functions, Syn'x saw itself forced to sue the company in November 1995. In 1996, Syn'x Relief was forced to file for bankruptcy - and today, four years later, the final sentence was given by a French court. Microsoft has been found guilty of software piracy, and has been sentenced to pay Syn'x 3 million francs - equal to about $200,000. Microsoft themselves have refused to admit any guilt, and are planning to appeal. Microsoft's muteness doesn't surprise Perrin: "Since the start, we have been treated with disdain," he said.
Related news:
|
|
||||
|
||||||
