News

Microsoft Sues To Protect Visual Studio Users

Three companies are seeking indemnification from Microsoft after being sued for using technology associated with Microsoft's Visual Studio software development platform, according to an IDG News Service story published on Monday.

The case involves Allstate Insurance Co., Dell Inc. and Federal Express Corp. All three companies are targets of a federal suit filed in Delaware by WebXchange, according to a story by Nancy Gohring.

WebXchange, based in Menlo Park, Calif., holds a patent on an e-commerce routing technology. Microsoft filed a lawsuit last week in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco against the company. Microsoft seeks to have WebXchange's patents in the cases against the three companies declared invalid.

The WebXchange lawsuits affect Visual Studio, as well as the SOAP Protocol and Web services, according to a story by CNET News' Ina Fried.

A statement from Microsoft, cited by Fried, called WebXchange's patent infringement lawsuits "spurious," as well as "invalid and unenforceable."

About the Author

Kurt Mackie is senior news producer for 1105 Media's Converge360 group.

Featured

  • Report: Cost, Sustainability Drive DaaS Adoption Beyond Remote Work

    Gartner's 2025 Magic Quadrant for Desktop as a Service reveals that while secure remote access remains a key driver of DaaS adoption, a growing number of deployments now focus on broader efficiency goals.

  • Windows 365 Reserve, Microsoft's Cloud PC Rental Service, Hits Preview

    Microsoft has launched a limited public preview of its new "Windows 365 Reserve" service, which lets organizations rent cloud PC instances in the event their Windows devices are stolen, lost or damaged.

  • Hands-On AI Skills Now Outshine Certs in Salary Stakes

    For AI-related roles, employers are prioritizing verifiable, hands-on abilities over framed certificates -- and they're paying a premium for it.

  • Roadblocks in Enterprise AI: Data and Skills Shortfalls Could Cost Millions

    Businesses risk losing up to $87 million a year if they fail to catch up with AI innovation, according to the Couchbase FY 2026 CIO AI Survey released this month.