Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, January 30, 1994                   TAG: 9401250288
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: F-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BY TOM SCHMITZ KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
DATELINE: SAN JOSE, CALIF.                                LENGTH: Medium

MAN BANNED FROM SENDING E-MAIL TO HIS FORMER BOSS

Superior Court Judge Bill Kelsay issued the restraining order against Michael D. Taht, a former programmer for the Santa Cruz Operation. The order explicitly prevents Taht from sending electronic messages to SCO computers or using its computer mail system to contact employees.

Legal experts and privacy advocates said this month they were not aware of another instance in which such a ban has been issued. But they said it was consistent with other, more common types of restraining orders involving communication.

"It's not unusual at all to restrict someone from contacting a party by telephone or mail," said Gerald Uelman, dean of the Santa Clara University law school. "To the extent that communication is now frequently accomplished by electronic mail, it doesn't surprise me at all that the court has extended its reach."

SCO requested the order after receiving what it described as threatening and disruptive messages from Taht, who left the company in 1991. He later worked as an independent contractor and became involved in a dispute with SCO over a program he had written.

Taht said he is no longer interested in pursuing his grievance against SCO and has not been able to send electronic mail since his computer was stolen last month. But he plans to use a court hearing next week to contest the order, which allows him to contact company employees only via ordinary mail.

"I feel sending electronic mail to my friends at SCO is (as basic a right) as the U.S. Postal Service," Taht said. "I refuse to kill a tree and lick a stamp and wait two days."