Sun vs. Microsoft Timeline

Oct. 1997: Sun sues Microsoft for breach of contract and copyright infringement and seeks US$35 million in damages. Specific allegations include the following:

• Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE) 4.0 and Java SDK 2.0 do not comply with Sun’s official definition of the Java platform, particularly because they do not include APIs that come with Sun’s own Java Development Kit (JDK) 1.1.
• Microsoft tampered with core Java libraries to make its version of Java work better with Windows.
• Microsoft violated Sun’s copyrights by posting Java source code online.

(For details on the original suit, see “Sun Sues Over Java License” on page 22 of the Nov. 1997 Update.)

Nov. 1997: Sun amends its original complaint to try to prohibit Microsoft from using the Java logo.

Mar. 1998: U.S. District Court Judge Ronald Whyte issues a preliminary injunction ordering Microsoft to remove the Java logo from its products. Microsoft complies.

June 1998: Sun’s appeals to hold the hearing before the Windows 98 launch date are denied. Windows 98 launches with some of the disputed technology.