Mainframe computing firm
Platform Solutions Inc (PSI) has hit back at
IBM's "predatory business practices", alleging in court that the computing giant is seeking to destroy competition for mainframe users.
In response to earlier moves by IBM, PSI filed its own claims in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York alleging antitrust violations and unfair competition.
PSI's response is based on IBM's efforts to "maintain its monopoly and to prevent the development of a competitive alternative to IBM's mainframe products ", the company claimed.
PSI is seeking damages "based on the harm that IBM's conduct has caused and is causing to PSI, as well as an injunction and/or remedies to prevent IBM from harming PSI in the future".
Christian Reilly, vice president of product management and marketing at PSI, said: "PSI believes it has a compelling legal position and that it will prevail in court.
"IBM's lawsuit against PSI is part of a concerted effort to eliminate competition for mainframe computers, and its refusal to provide the operating systems needed to run mainframe computers to PSI customers is blatantly anti-competitive.
"IBM's claims also reflect a reversal of its long-standing practice of licensing its intellectual property on reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, a policy that it trumpeted on its website until last year.
"What IBM is trying to do here would be the equivalent to a hypothetical situation in which Microsoft had monopoly power in the markets for both PCs and PC operating systems and then refused to license Windows to HP, Dell or other PC manufacturers to maintain and sustain its monopoly position."
Reilly also alleged that IBM's "predatory business practices have affected our company, but PSI's open mainframe computers have been well received by customers who value us as the only alternative supplier in the marketplace".