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Microsoft and the software reseller ValueLicensing have been going at each other for a while now, but the outcome of the latest trial that's starting up in the UK could have real ramifications on the second-hand software market.

Microsoft urged a tribunal on Wednesday to reject a software reseller's claim that the technology giant owes £270 million ($365 million) for restricting the rights of software companies to resell software they have licenced from Microsoft.

The UK Competition Appeal Tribunal is to decide whether businesses can lawfully sell second-hand software following a £250m suit brought by a reseller against Microsoft

Counsel for an English software reseller argued at the competition tribunal in London on Tuesday that Microsoft is stifling the legal resale of its software licenses, kicking off the company's antitrust and intellectual property claim.

Microsoft's tussle with UK-based reseller ValueLicensing over the sale of secondhand licenses returns to the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal this week, with the Windows behemoth now claiming that selling pre-owned Office and Windows software is unlawful.