Compaq Computer Corp was named in a $10bn copyright infringement and fraud lawsuit late Wednesday, accused of plagiarizing a book entitled Preventing Computer Injury: The Handbook. The suit was taken out by the book’s publisher, New York-based Ergonome Inc, and alleges that Compaq copied copyright protected portions of the book, which is based on a patented method of ergonomically safer keyboard techniques invented by concert pianist Stephanie Brown, and then went ahead and distributed at least 21 million copies of the book with its computers. Compaq first published its book in 1994 as the Safety and Comfort Guide. Compaq began discussions with Ergonome over licensing the original Handbook in the same year, but according to the publisher negotiations broke down and Compaq went ahead and secretly created its own book. Now Ergonome wants damages amounting to not less than it originally offered to sell its book to Compaq, namely $7.95 for each of the 21m copies, plus an additional $4bn of supposed benefit derived from avoidance of potential liability for that amount in keyboard-injury related lawsuits. A further $6bn fraud suit alleges that Compaq delayed responding to licensing proposals for a further six months, and then engaged in the pretense of negotiating a license for an additional two years. Compaq could be hit by a double whammy, as its newly acquired Digital Equipment Corp division is currently fighting what is said to be the largest keyboard-injury lawsuit to date, in which nine plaintiffs are suing the company. The trial has been running in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York since May, and a verdict is expected any time. á
