Bill Gates testifies in $1B lawsuit against Microsoft

Microsoft founder Bill Gates arrives at the Frank E. Moss federal courthouse in Salt Lake City, Monday, Nov. 21, 2011. Gates was scheduled to testify in a one billion dollar antitrust lawsuit brought by Novell Inc. Gates, wearing a gray suit and a yellow tie, was the first witness to testify as Microsoft lawyers presented their case in the trial that's been ongoing in federal court in Salt Lake City for about a month. (AP Photo/Jim Urquhart)

Microsoft founder Bill Gates arrives at the Frank E. Moss federal courthouse in Salt Lake City, Monday, Nov. 21, 2011. Gates was scheduled to testify in a one billion dollar antitrust lawsuit brought by Novell Inc. Gates, wearing a gray suit and a yellow tie, was the first witness to testify as Microsoft lawyers presented their case in the trial that's been ongoing in federal court in Salt Lake City for about a month. (AP Photo/Jim Urquhart)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Microsoft's Bill Gates says one-time software competitor Novell Inc. couldn't prepare a compatible word processing program in time for its Windows 95 rollout.

Gates is testifying in a $1 billion antitrust lawsuit accusing the software maker of duping Novell into thinking it would include that company's WordPerfect writing program in Windows 95.

Gates says that by 1994, WordPerfect's share of the market was already declining, while Microsoft's own Word program was gaining ground.

Novell claims it was tricked and later had to sell WordPerfect for a $1.2 billion loss.

Gates is Microsoft's first witness Monday in the federal trial in Salt Lake City that started a month ago.

Microsoft lawyers say Novell's claims are groundless. They have sought a dismissal.

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