IBM’s former vice president of microprocessor technology development, Mr. Mark Papermaster, recently joined Apple’s team, which could have been a short report about restructuring businesses, if only he hadn’t signed a noncompete agreement. The deal demands that Mr. Papermaster should wait at least one year before accepting a job from one of the company’s competitors.

IBM considers Apple’s move an attempt to expand its presence in the markets for servers and chips in the segment of handheld devices and filed a law suit claiming that the initial deal should be respected. The company’s officials also explained that one of their concerns is that Apple might be provided with "technical and strategic advice on a variety of issues."

The fact of the matter is that the 26 years spent by Mr. Papermaster with IBM count for a lot of experience that can be used by the competition in many ways. Even though technology keeps improving and changing at an extremely alert pace, not even that year away from the business might be enough to protect the company’s work. The company’s officials attempted to win him back with a significant pay raise and when that failed, even offered one year’s salary for keeping him away for one year from all competitors.

"Mr. Papermaster, as long as he is employed by Apple, will inevitably use and/or disclose IBM trade secrets for his own benefit and for the benefit of Apple," IBM states in its complaint.

At this point the facts will be considered by the court and the decision will soon be announced. Aside from preventing Papermaster from working with Apple, IBM’s officials also demand some monetary awards.