Stop Microsoft

All Things Microsoft => Microsoft as a Company => Topic started by: Kintaro on 2 November 2002, 11:57

Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: Kintaro on 2 November 2002, 11:57
http://www.mozillazine.org/talkback.html?article=2625 (http://www.mozillazine.org/talkback.html?article=2625)
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: Crunchy(Cracked)Butter on 2 November 2002, 12:13
I was just about to post this as well.

Anyway here are some more links.

 http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,72
04,5408913%5E15306%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html

 http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/27895.html (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/27895.html)
 http://news.com.com/2009-1001-964255.html?tag=fd_lede1_hed (http://news.com.com/2009-1001-964255.html?tag=fd_lede1_hed)


Kinda shitty if you asked me, makes you wonder if the judge is corrupt or just totally fucking inept.

After all these years it might end this way, what a waste, yet it IS proven they are a monopoly, how does that work.  You are proven guilty but get off scott free.

I hope the 9 states appeal and the EU commission make a better thing out of it.  At least in hte EU the public are allowed their say.

message edited due to poor page scansion.

[ November 05, 2002: Message edited by: Calum & his insidious little spies ]

Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: Kintaro on 2 November 2002, 16:11
Okay, lets start a petition... We will talk to quirk about hosting a Submission form with PHP. Him or M0R!
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: Crunchy(Cracked)Butter on 2 November 2002, 17:15
Petition for what?

BTW another important link:  http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/27896.html (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/27896.html)

[ November 02, 2002: Message edited by: Crunchy(Cracked)Butter ]

Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: lazygamer on 2 November 2002, 20:07
So why did they back down? Did they not visit www.kmfms.com (http://www.kmfms.com) or something? How the fuck can you back down when you learn the true face of Microsoft?

Errr anyone want to tell me:

1)Wasn't this settled years ago?
2)What was the original "1337" punishment sought by the DOJ?
3)What is the neutered one?
4)Why did they back down?
5)This shit is now over right?
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: TheQuirk on 2 November 2002, 20:44
quote:
Originally posted by Crunchy(Cracked)Butter:
Petition for what?


Yeah, what he said.
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: pkd_lives on 2 November 2002, 20:47
quote:
Originally posted by lazygamer:


1)Wasn't this settled years ago?
2)What was the original "1337" punishment sought by the DOJ?
3)What is the neutered one?
4)Why did they back down?
5)This shit is now over right?



1. Yes but the original settlement was appealed.

2. Various settlements were included, which basically stopped M$ from preventing any PC seller from removing M$ packages. And it broke M$ into 2 seperate companies - However you look at the original settlement it was crap. It was appealed by M$ and they won, so the nine states appealed the revised edition.

3. The decison is now that M$ cannot control what companies software the OEMs put on the M$ OS on the PC, M$ have to make parts of their API available earlier than expected. M$ now totally control WHO oversees their fulfilment of the settlement - it is required to be someone M$ will choose to employ.

4. Money is my guess.

5. NO. The nine states can and should appeal. There is the European cases still pending, which could see a totally different outcome, and could last years. And of course M$ have to follow the settlement. And of course there could be an entirely new case brought against M$, which could start it all again. If the information given under testemony was found inaccurate say that it is possible to remove IE then we could have a whole new trial.

[ November 02, 2002: Message edited by: pkd ]

Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: voidmain on 2 November 2002, 21:41
It doesn't matter what happens to them in the courts. Microsoft will be the cause of their own demise. It's inevitable with the path that they are on. I would rather see them go down on their own.
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: pkd_lives on 2 November 2002, 22:03
quote:
Originally posted by void main:
It doesn't matter what happens to them in the courts. Microsoft will be the cause of their own demise. It's inevitable with the path that they are on. I would rather see them go down on their own.


You are right, I feel.

Meanwhile more and more companies are being chewed up by M$, and it gets harder and harder to compete because there does not exist anything like a level playing field, and the courts are there to prevent this sort of thing, yet their incompetence to produce a result that in anyway alters the game is an insult to the Justice system, and means even fewer competitors because they now know that the courts will NOT protect them.
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: voidmain on 2 November 2002, 23:25
Yeah, but the trouble with litigation is it's too slow. Microsoft is so sneaky they are always one step ahead of tbe people bringing suit against them. By the time any punishment were to be handed out for a previous injustice it would no longer be a factor.

Luckily Microsoft is good at pissing people off. As soon as enough people are pissed off the flood gates will open and life will be good.
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: Crunchy(Cracked)Butter on 3 November 2002, 02:12
quote:
Originally posted by pkd:

There is the European cases still pending, which could see a totally different outcome, and could last years.



The european case will only dictate how they can sell their software it a favourable outcome is reached.  But i do have high hopes, they just sued NINTENDO for
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: Kintaro on 3 November 2002, 03:22
quote:
Originally posted by Crunchy(Cracked)Butter:
Petition for what?

BTW another important link:  http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/27896.html (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/27896.html)

[ November 02, 2002: Message edited by: Crunchy(Cracked)Butter ]



Basicly a petition to keep Microsoft in the Courtroom, until they become another AT/T, IBM.
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: Kintaro on 3 November 2002, 03:26
quote:
Originally posted by void main:
It doesn't matter what happens to them in the courts. Microsoft will be the cause of their own demise. It's inevitable with the path that they are on. I would rather see them go down on their own.


Yea thats how i feel about it. TCP/A and Palldium will kill Microsoft off. Linux is moving into the Desktop faster then it was moving into the Server share 2 years ago. I also hear rumors that Red-Hats next release will be able to run Windows apps easiliy. Im not sure about this but it could be.
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: TheQuirk on 3 November 2002, 11:23
That's a dirty lie: Microsoft doesn't release the whole API.
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: Bazoukas on 3 November 2002, 21:49
What a bunch of Bullshit

"Perhaps the most controversial remedy proposed by the states envisioned Microsoft being forced to sell an "unbound" version of Windows -- one free from additional programs such as a browser and media player that are referred to as middleware -- so that PC makers and end users could replace those programs with ones from competitors.

In a dramatic reaction to that proposal, Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates testified in April that the company would be forced to pull Windows from the market if that particular remedy was accepted by Kollar-Kotelly

Removing such middleware from Windows would cripple other aspects of the operating system, such as the Help program, Gates told the court. Because the proposed remedy said an unbound version of Windows must be a functional equivalent to the full operating system, minus the removed middleware, Gates said there would be no way Microsoft could satisfy the provision -- forcing the company to stop selling Windows to avoid violating the remedy. "


  First of all Why the fuck a browser and a Media player MUST be so tightly tied up with the OS? And for real, who the fuck thinks that their Help system is helpfull?  All the times that I clicked on Help, I just got some stupid messages.


    A slap on the hand. Thats what they got.
Yet once again this year, big Companies in America have their way.
  Yet one more time those who generate big money get away with everything, while our prisons are over-populated with people that got the slammer for just smoking weed.  Way to go!!!!!!


    Capitalism will get rid of this fucking Virus though called Microsoft, simply because Linux is hammering down on them fast and hard. And Microsoft wont get eliminated from the "top ranks" simply because the top ranks are fucking corrupt,  but from the bottom ranks. From the consumer.

  They are abusing their power and that will bite them in their ass.

 Law and Power for the people by the people you fucking pricks that live "upstairs" and dont know your head from your ass.
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: preacher on 3 November 2002, 23:58
My home state Kansas is one of the states that had lawsuits against MS and Im hoping that we appeal because this is bullshit. I dont want MS to be broken down, that would hurt us more than help us, however I do want IE and WMP seperated from Windows. Simply put MS could add a regular file browsing utility like every other OS. Also they could allow windows update to work with browsers other than IE. Also I want MS to stop being able to force computer manufacturers to ship with Windows. It would be nice if they sold fully assembled pc's without an OS so people had a choice, or loaded with an alternative OS.
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: lazygamer on 5 November 2002, 01:05
quote:
Yea thats how i feel about it. TCP/A and Palldium will kill Microsoft off. Linux is moving into the Desktop faster then it was moving into the Server share 2 years ago. I also hear rumors that Red-Hats next release will be able to run Windows apps easiliy. Im not sure about this but it could be.


I guess that would be good actually, I would have even less excuses to be a windoid. Can you imagine if RH10 could run W95/W98/DOS stuff better then XP could? That would rock.

The thing about Palladium is that we know it will fail(we hope), but how long will we have to put up with it?

 
quote:
In a dramatic reaction to that proposal, Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates testified in April that the company would be forced to pull Windows from the market if that particular remedy was accepted by Kollar-Kotelly

Removing such middleware from Windows would cripple other aspects of the operating system, such as the Help program, Gates told the court. Because the proposed remedy said an unbound version of Windows must be a functional equivalent to the full operating system, minus the removed middleware, Gates said there would be no way Microsoft could satisfy the provision -- forcing the company to stop selling Windows to avoid violating the remedy. "


In other words... go ahead and remove your OS! All the game makers would suddenly switch to Mac and Linux, and maybe system requirements would go down a few hundred MHZ(if Wind0ze is a piece of shit code wise, why should Linux games have the same requirements if the code is 10 times better?). Maybe Daytek would release some Linux ADSL drivers relatively quickly. Certainly makes the Linux switch ten times easier when you know that your wind0ze is dead and everyone is moving towards Mac and Linux.  (http://smile.gif)

Of course there is two possibilities.

1)MS is full of shit and will fix wind0ze, removing the middleware.

2)MS is telling the truth, in which case they are forced into bankruptcy.

Of course this will only occur if the lawsuit is won by the government. In regards to #2, I hope MS is being honest for once!  (http://smile.gif)


Ok answer me this, why is the DOJ so concerned about Microsoft. DOJ is part of the Americian government, American government does not serve the people, they do not care about the people. DOJ is not attacking MS because the DOJ are "Knights in shining armor slaying the evil MS dragon", DOJ has to have their own motives. MS doesn't cause any problems for the American government, why the hell do they care?

It was the same thing with Enron, why the hell does the American government care? They are in bed with the corps, why agravate them? If CEO's want to embezzle, big deal, it doesn't harm the American government right?

Perhaps I am wrong and have lost faith in the government?
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: Doctor V on 5 November 2002, 07:33
I think that the single worst thing about this settlement is the fact that M$ itself is being put in charge of making sure that M$ obeys the settlement provisions.  This means that M$ dosn't really have to follow any of the provisions in the settlement.  They will be able to interpret them, and follow them in their own way, which, works out very well for M$ considering that they have a very long history of breaking the law.  In the end this all says that:  M$ can break any law they want, and even if they do get found guilty, they get to choose the punishment that is given to them, and they are also responsible for making sure they follow that punishment.  

The American Judicial system is a total failure.

V
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: jtpenrod on 5 November 2002, 21:52
quote:
Ok answer me this, why is the DOJ so concerned about Microsoft. DOJ is part of the Americian government, American government does not serve the people, they do not care about the people. DOJ is not attacking MS because the DOJ are "Knights in shining armor slaying the evil MS dragon", DOJ has to have their own motives. MS doesn't cause any problems for the American government, why the hell do they care?
I've often wondered the same thing myself. Why all that fuss over whether or not Win 95 came with a browser? Here's a thought: since most PCs had Windows installed on them, what better way for the gov't to spy on the vast majority of the citizenry than to see to it that all Win systems came with "back doors"? Perhaps the whole anti-trust suit was the proverbial "offer he can't refuse"? Either Bill Gates installs those back doors, and the DOJ goes easy on him, turning the whole case into a farce, or he refuses to cooperate and the gov't puts him out of business. What about the case of the NSA keys that were discovered in a Win 2K service pack. These spyware keys were discovered when the service pack went out with the debug symbols still installed. It was claimed that this was accidental. I wonder if it wasn't "accidental on purpose". What programmer forgets to remove the debug symbols?  :eek:  

After all, most of these politicians don't give a rat's ass about "we the people", except every 2, 4, 6 years when they have to go begging for votes. And 90% of the time their campaign promises are forgotten once they're sworn in. They surely wouldn't care if Netscape lived or died either.

What did they get in return for going so easy on Microsoft.   :confused:  
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Their fundamental design flaws are completely concealed by their superficial design flaws.
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: Calum on 5 November 2002, 16:42
why are you all misunderstanding that this is all about money? the right palms have been greased, that's all. why it took this long to come to an agreement of which palms and how much grease is beyond me. maybe the whole timing thing was done for effect.
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: pkd_lives on 6 November 2002, 00:22
What should not be forgotten is that there is a little good news. The points originally brought up in M$s' conviction can now be used against them. So any company that can prove it lost out due to the tactics M$ used in maintaining it's monopoly can sue for monies lost, who knows maybe M$ will loose big time - of course the courts have failed the taxpayer on this one before, and should be fully investigated for corruption.
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: enigma on 6 November 2002, 10:45
you know.. i really DONT want to read the articles.. can someone sum it up in a few, quirky sentences?
Title: Microsoft Settlement
Post by: Calum on 6 November 2002, 13:35
no. if you won't read, you won't know.

just read the two register articles.