Soundcard specialist Aureal has responded to arch-rival Creative Labs' allegations that it engaged in false advertising and made misstatements about Creative products (see Creative sues Aureal. Again). Aureal suggests both parties come to the table and hammer out their differences regarding the claims each has made about the others' products. "We challenge Creative to join us in efforts to clarify information published by both our companies regarding both companies' products," said Brendan O'Flaherty, Aureal's VP and general counsel. It's more likely they'll end up hammering each other, such is the apparent animus between the two parties, founded on a series of suits and countersuits that has been running throughout the year. Aureal denies making knowingly false claims about Creative's SoundBlaster Live! Card, the subject of its rival's suit. In fact, it claims to have derived the information it published from Creative's own publicly available product description material. It says it modifies any inaccuracies or adjustments as and when they are brought to its attention. Creative, says Aureal, didn't do so, preferring instead to call in the lawyers. "Creative seems to prefer to bring these issues to a courthouse rather than resolving them either directly or in the marketplace," said O'Flaherty. "They and other competitors have made and published misleading statements regarding Aureal's technology in the past. If we ran to a judge each time this happened, no one would have time to develop products." All of which is dangerously close to the 'we both tell lies about each other, but at least we don't go running to teacher when it happens to us' argument. Expect Creative to respond with a 'my dad's bigger than your dad' statement shortly... ® Click for more stories