The dispute between Intel and Kourosh Kenneth Hamidi started six years ago when Intel sued Hamidi after he blasted its email system with thousands of messages accusing the company of unfair labour practices. Intel claimed Hamidi was trespassing on its property by sending a barrage of unwanted email to its servers. Hamidi, who was fired by Intel in 1996, had landed the support of free-speech activists and law professors, who argue that the content of Hamidi's email message was the equivalent of watercooler gossip and that he had a right to express his opinions about the company via email. In March, Intel had asked the California Supreme Court to uphold an earlier legal ruling that found Hamidi had trespassed on the company's servers by sending thousands of unwanted emails to staff at work, dating back to 1996. Hamidi, who alleged unfair labor practices at the chip giant in the email, asked that the decision be overturned, arguing that he was merely exercising his First Amendment rights. Chuck Mulloy, an Intel spokesman, said the company was "disappointed in the court's decision. We're studying the opinion to assess our options in the event that Hamidi resumes spamming against Intel." Hamidi wrote via email to CNET News.com that he was delighted with the decision and plans to start up communication with Intel employees again after his five-year ban. "Obviously this case was and is way beyond me and or my personal interest. This is a case of people vs. corporations, which tested out (the) constitution and our judicial system," Hamidi wrote. "Again I'll cherish my freedoms and will exercise them responsibly and peacefully. I'll start sending informative and educational emails to Intel employees on my email list" of 68,000.
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