Solution

Quoting:"Companies across the globe should be on notice that they will be held accountable in California for stealing our intellectual property," Harris said.

"This is an anti-competitive practice which harms our state's economy and is illegal. These lawsuits go after overseas companies whose unlawful actions are eroding California's garment industry and placing California companies who legally pay for computer software at a disadvantage," she said in a statement.

Quoting:The complaints also allege that these companies obtain an unfair advantage because they can redirect money saved by using pirated software to hire employees and to expand their facilities and their research and development efforts. Furthermore, American companies that are developing software, particularly software that is used in the garment industry, are discouraged from investing in new technology and products if they know their software will be used illegally, the attorney general said.

Harris noted in the complaints that Microsoft has sued both Ningbo and Pratibha Syntex in their home countries for using pirated versions of the company’s software, and said there is evidence that pirated versions of software made by Adobe, Corel, and other companies are being used as well.

Harris said in the complaints that the suits were filed in Los Angeles County because the anticompetitive effects of the alleged piracy were primarily felt here.

Quoting:The remedy sought is to bar these manufacturers from selling products in California.

Quoting:A more interesting legal question is whether the California state law is preempted by superseding federal law, i.e. can each state impose its own trade regulations which are more onerous than those imposed by federal law.