A jury in Rhode Island has determined that Microsoft must pay $388 million in damages in an anti-piracy case.

The ruling says that Microsoft infringed on an anti-piracy patent owned by Uniloc, a company that makes software ensuring licensing rights.

The decision basically puts an end to a lawsuit that’s been dragging on since late 2003. The jury basically ruled that Microsoft did infringe on Uniloc’s patent, which was also deemed valid. Microsoft plans to appeal the verdict.

Ouch.  That’s got to be a big hit in the wallet, even for Microsoft.

You can view the actual jury decision here.

  • $388M verdict against Microsoft (money.cnn.com)

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