There is no practical alternative to the Ethernet standard, which enables machines to communicate
in local area networks. Used in nearly every computer in the country, both computer makers and users are locked into the standard. It goes without saying, then, that the patents covering part of that standard are crucial.
Not surprisingly, the owner of these patents, Negotiated Data Solutions (NDS), decided to take advantage of the situation by demanding more money from companies that wanted to build or sell computers capable of Ethernet communication.
