Pulp Fiction co-writer sues Microsoft over idea for game, and other brief reports ...
Publish date: 17 November 2004
Issue Number: 1056
Diary: Legalbrief eLaw
Category: Corruption
* Oscar-winning co-writer of Pulp Fiction, Roger Avary is suing Microsoft, claiming that the software giant stole his idea for a video game for Microsoft\'s Xbox console. Yourself! Fitness is an exercise game that allegedly copies large portions of the papers Avary submitted to Microsoft during a series of meetings in 2003. Full Los Angeles Times report
* The US\'s Federal Communications Commission has further deregulated Internet phone services by ruling that states are now barred from imposing telecommunications regulations on Internet service providers. While the decision was widely anticipated, much of the nitty-gritty of policy making is still to come as the FCC drafts a set of rules for new services that rely on Internet Protocol. Full Financial Times report * Marvel Enterprises, creator of Spider Man, The Incredible Hulk and The X-Men is suing the developer and publisher behind City of Heroes, an online multiplayer game in which subscribers create their own superhero characters. Marvel Enterprises is concerned that the design feature allows subscribers to copy its comic book heroes, thus infringing on its trademarks. It has therefore sued, seeking damages and an injunction. Full Out-Law.com report * A pilot programme, UUNET BWB Launchpad, has been launched in the Western Cape to develop sustainable black businesses to help change the composition of the province\'s information and telecommunications sector. The programme, launched in August and due to run for nine months, has been designed to support emerging black ICT companies and includes elements of business education and company incubation. Full Business Report article * In a joint operation, Greek and British police has cracked an illegal software sales ring, arresting two people and seizing thousands of pirated high-tech software. Greek police said that they had arrested a Greek citizen and a British accomplice who pirated and sold an expensive computer software program for the automotive and aeronautics industries, charging only about $905. Full Computerworld report * Christopher Burgess has become the second person to be imprisoned after being targeted by Operation Auxin, the Australian arm of an international crackdown on child pornography. More than 60 images involving children as young as six were found on two computers belonging to Burgess. Full report in The Australian
