"µ used our APIs!" - Express Logic seeks injunction against Green Hills Software

Today, Express Logic announced that it would seek to stop Green Hills Software from marketing its small footprint µ-velOSity operating system released in April of this year. Express Logic cited the similarity in the API structure between the Green Hills product (as sourced from a Green Hills Software Evaluation CD) and Express Logic's ThreadX operating system and further contended that the API used in µ-velOSity is a departure from the API structure used in other OSs in the Green Hills family.

These accusations are interesting when considered in conjunction with claims made on the release of µ-velOSity -- with Green Hills explicitly noting that the µ-velOSity product featured "an upward compatible API with velOSity and INTEGRITY." In fact, the idea of being able to write to a common set of APIs as a company scaled its product seemed to be a point of focus upon the release.

In fairness, Green Hills has yet to respond comments regarding the allegations, and any judgment has yet to be decided (Express Logic is opting to settle this matter through arbitration in conjunction with its existing reseller agreement.)

It will be interesting to hear the other side of the story.