Re: Microsoft going after Linux?

[Andrew Halliwell]

amicus_curious <ACDC@sti.net> wrote:
>> Who? Tomtom?
>> In europe? (I presume as they're a european company, that's where the 
>> trial
>> will be held...?)
>>
> It will be held in the US District Court for the Western District of 
> Washington at Seattle.
> 
>> If not, tomtom could just utterly ignore anything microsoft says. They're
>> out of their jurisdiction. American laws do not apply.
>>
> 
> They do in the USofA, where the suit is filed and the complaint was served. 
> It is like saying that the EU cannot do anything to Microsoft because they 
> are an American company.

That depends if tomtom have any offices in america.
If they do, they might be sensible to shut them all down and move to
civilisation. North of the border. Then the yanks shout and shriek as much
as they want and tomtom can just say "screw you".

If they don't have any offices in america, good luck on getting them to even
show up in court. They're under no legal obligation to under EU law.
 
>> Europe still holds software patents as extremely dubious if not illegal.
>> A few have slipped through but they've by no means been accepted like they
>> have in america.
> 
> Tom-Tom is free to abandon the US market if they wish to avoid US courts, of 
> course, but the profits here are just too tempting.  It is the same way with 
> Mr. Softee in the EU.  They cover their higher costs of business by raising 
> prices a little.

Would america impose a trade embargo if they tried importing more tomtoms
into america if they shut up shop and moved out of the country?

Does microsoft have that much power?
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|   Andrew Halliwell BSc   |                                                 |
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