Judge: Papermaster could cause "irreparable harm" to IBM at Apple

Devin Coldewey

Devin Coldewey is a Seattle-based writer and photographer. He has written for the TechCrunch network since 2007. Some posts he’d like you to read: The Dangers of Externalizing Knowledge | Generation i | Surveillant Society | Choose Two | Frame Wars | The User’s Manifesto | Our Great Sin His personal website is coldewey.cc. → Learn More

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008


When this legal melee began earlier this month, I guessed that the judge was simply taking IBM at its word and ordering Papermaster to stop work essentially at their whim. Well, you can’t blame me for underestimating the Judicial Branch, can you? Recently revealed records show that the judge had pretty solid reasoning for believing Papermaster was a serious threat to IBM in his new position at Apple, citing Apple’s interest in the man’s specific knowledge of microprocessors and the history between Apple and the Power processors to which Papermaster is related.

God, that’s all a bit dry, isn’t it? But it increases my faith in the court where this thing is being addressed; it also gives weight to IBM’s side of the argument — a non-comp agreement that Papermaster says is too broad. Unfortunately, his complaint may be a little too after-the-fact for the judge to consider it worthwhile.

I wish we had flashier legal issues to talk about, but all the ones I mention here aren’t quite as public. So, Papermaster it is!

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