The Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) has filed suit in mid-December against a host of retailers and television manufacturers. The suit alleges that 14 companies are distributing BusyBox in their televisions, DVD players and dozens of other devices. The suit accuses these businesses of not complying with the GPL in this distribution. The SFLC filed the suit on behalf of BusyBox coauthor Erik Andersen. Companies named for violations in the suit include Best Buy, Samsung and Westinghouse.
IBM has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Lombardi, an Austin-based provider of business process management software and services, for an undisclosed sum. Executives from the two companies said Lombardi’s process management complements IBM’s existing enterprise process management software, specifically those in IBM WebSphere, and adds automation of various management tasks.
Microsoft has placed Windows Azure development under the direction of its Server & Tools Business (STB) division. Microsoft president Bob Muglia will continue to manage STB, and Windows Azure chief Amitabh Srivastava will be reporting to him as the director of Microsoft’s Server & Cloud Division. The Server & Cloud Division will oversee development of Windows Azure as well as Windows Server. Windows Server corporate vice president Bill Laing will be reporting to Srivastava. According to Microsoft, the move will provide private clouds for its customers and will streamline application portability between its products.
Storage management company ZL Technologies has refiled its lawsuit against Gartner, alleging that Gartner plays favorites in its Magic Quadrant reports. When the case was previously heard by judge Jeremy Fogel in November, he dismissed the suit due to Gartner’s claims that their reports are based on opinion, and are therefore covered by free speech. The judge did leave open the option to amend the suit and refile, and ZL Technologies did so. ZL’s additions to the suit include accusations that Gartner claimed its reports were based on research and facts, rather than simply on the authors’ opinions. The case has not yet been scheduled for a court date.
EARNINGS
Micro Focus reported that the acquisition of Borland and the Testing/ASQ division acquired from Compuware added revenue of US$55.3 million for the six months leading up to the end of October. Revenue for the six-month period was $198.4 million, a 46% increase from $135.6 million in the same period of 2008.
