Roy Mark of internetnews.com reports on "Microsoft's Long And Winding MP3 Case":
Microsoft was not alone in licensing the MP3 technology from Fraunhofer. Among the many companies with MP3 licensing deals with Fraunhofer are Adobe, Autodesk, Apple, Cisco, HP, and Sun. If Alcatel-Lucent ultimately prevails, it would be liable for damages. Autodesk's Maya, Cleaner, and other software reads MP3 files.
All these companies -- and more -- thought they had done the right thing when the licensed MP3 technology from its developer, the Fraunhofer Institute of Germany. But 'twas not, for "... the jury saw novel parts of the Alcatel-Lucent patents in Windows that weren't part of the Fraunhofer MP3-licensed technology."
This must make a company wonder if it's doing the right thing by licensing technology, instead of just stealing it. Either way, they get kicked in the bottom line where it hurts.
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