Microsoft-Lindows Trial Pushed BackMicrosoft-Lindows Trial Pushed Back

The on-again, off-again trademark dispute between Microsoft and Linux vendor Lindows.com is off again. A federal court on Tuesday pushed back the jury trial to March 1, 2004.

Microsoft first sued Lindows.com in 2001, accusing the seller of Linux operating systems and applications of infringing on its Windows trademark and demanding that the courts bar the company from using the Lindows name.

Although Microsoft has twice been refused requests for an injunction that would prevent Lindows.com from using the Lindows name and force it to shutter its Web site, the battle didn't stop there. Lindows, in turn, demanded that the judge toss out the case.

Instead, U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour in Seattle said earlier this year that a jury should decide the issue. An original jury trial start date of April was pushed back to Dec. 1 at the request of Lindows.com. The newest postponement, said the court, is due to a scheduling conflict.