TECHNOLOGY - March 3, 1994
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
Microsoft Reworking Programs to Avoid Patent Claims: Reacting to last week’s loss of a patent infringement lawsuit, the software company is believed to be revamping as many as six programs that make use of its disputed data-compression technology. Microsoft executives said the cost of changing the products will have no material effect on the company. But one official called the effort “a distraction.” Last week, a Los Angeles jury ordered Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft to pay Carlsbad-based Stac Electronics Co. $120 million for infringing patents that underlie a technique making it possible to cut in half the amount of hard disk space required to store information. Microsoft said it plans to appeal the verdict.
