Reuters 3:21 pm March 23, 2005
SAN FRANCISCO, March 23 (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. on Wednesday said it settled its lawsuit with one of three men it sued for distributing test copies of the next version of its Mac OS X operating system on a file-sharing Web site.
Cupertino, California-based Apple said it had settled the case it brought against Doug Steigerwald, who is a student, in late December.
As a member of the Apple Developer Connection, Steigerwald was given early, test versions of the next version of the operating system code-named Tiger. Apple has said that Tiger will be available by June of this year.
"While Apple will always protect its innovations, it is not our desire to send students to jail," said Apple spokesman Steve Dowling. "We are pleased that Mr. Steigerwald has taken responsibility for his actions and that we can put this lawsuit behind us."
Steigerwald was not immediately available to comment.
Apple has in recent months launched a series of lawsuits aimed at preventing publication of details of future products, one of which has raised first-amendment concerns in some quarters.
Apple claimed in its suit that two different versions of Mac OS X were made available on the Internet on or about October 30 and December 8 of 2004.
The men sued by Apple released the software on a Web site that uses BitTorrent file-sharing technology, which is used to rapidly distribute large files of electronic data, and is also widely used to distribute pirated copies of motion pictures.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 23 (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. on Wednesday said it settled its lawsuit with one of three men it sued for distributing test copies of the next version of its Mac OS X operating system on a file-sharing Web site.
Cupertino, California-based Apple said it had settled the case it brought against Doug Steigerwald, who is a student, in late December.
As a member of the Apple Developer Connection, Steigerwald was given early, test versions of the next version of the operating system code-named Tiger. Apple has said that Tiger will be available by June of this year.
"While Apple will always protect its innovations, it is not our desire to send students to jail," said Apple spokesman Steve Dowling. "We are pleased that Mr. Steigerwald has taken responsibility for his actions and that we can put this lawsuit behind us."
Steigerwald was not immediately available to comment.
Apple has in recent months launched a series of lawsuits aimed at preventing publication of details of future products, one of which has raised first-amendment concerns in some quarters.
Apple claimed in its suit that two different versions of Mac OS X were made available on the Internet on or about October 30 and December 8 of 2004.
The men sued by Apple released the software on a Web site that uses BitTorrent file-sharing technology, which is used to rapidly distribute large files of electronic data, and is also widely used to distribute pirated copies of motion pictures.
