Dell And HP Support Microsoft In Word Case

Computer makers Dell and HP are both supporting Microsoft in its fight to have the injunction against selling Word overturned.

The injunction against Microsoft selling Word after October 10 is having some large ripples. It doesn’t affect just Microsoft, but also the computer makers who ship software with their machines, and two of them have weighed in on Microsoft’s side.

According to the Groklaw legal news site, both Dell and HP are asking for an extension before the injunction takes effect, and Dell has already filed a brief, asking for an extension of 120 days.

A lot of the computers sold by both companies arrive with Word – or at least Microsoft Office – pre-installed, and an injunction would mean big changes to their system. The extension would give time for the appeal, which has been fast-tracked, to be heard.

Canadian company i4i won a patent infringement case against Microsoft in East Texas, and garnered $290 million plus the injunction.

Groklaw states:

“Actually, for them as businesses, it could indeed be very disruptive. End users aren’t particularly going to be affected, because i4i told the court it won’t go after users for prior infringement, only future, but vendor partners of Microsoft certainly could be affected.”