RSSDoJ Pleased with MS Antitrust Progress
By Ed Oswald | Published February 9, 2006, 12:31 PM
Lawyers for the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust division said Thursday that Microsoft has agreed to disclose information on its Windows Server operating system. This effectively prevents any possible action by the government over concerns that Microsoft was not in compliance with the 2002 antitrust settlement.
These concerns first came to the forefront in October of last year, when U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly reprimanded the company for not moving fast enough in opening up the Windows platform.
This was followed by a DoJ filing in January that accused the Redmond giant of dragging its feet in moving towards compliance.
Under the plan, Microsoft would allow additional source code access to those companies who had already signed up to receive software protocols from the company.
Although this latest development may have settled any previous concerns, a new complaint has been filed against Windows Vista, Microsoft's next generation operating system. The complaint questioned whether manufacturers would be able to customize the first boot sequence.
"While we have not reached any conclusion as to the merits of these complaints, plaintiffs continue to gather information and monitor the situation," the government's court filing read.
To its defense Microsoft said that it had discussed the issue with all top 20 computer manufacturers and had received no complaints regarding the issue.
Behind the scenes the clinton and bush families are friends, working together, just like microsoft and google. If microsoft doesn't change, it's dead.
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|This is some kind of joke, right?
When Bushco took over, almost the first thing they did was to make sure Bill and company could keep screwing over customers and competitors.
I guess maybe that's what they mean when they say that "compliance" is going so swimmingly.
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|Personally I have always felt that Microsoft gets away with their tactics because they make deals with the DOJ. Thats why the software has so many holes. They do what the DOJ wants for adding spyware/backdoors, and the DOJ looks the other way for everything else Microsoft does.
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|"When Bushco took over, almost the first thing they did was to make sure Bill and company could keep screwing over customers and competitors."
Congratulations on fitting multiple delusions into one sentence.
The Clinton-Reno DoJ's contention was that consumers were harmed by Microsoft's strategy of giving away IE. You don't even need to think about this for five seconds to realize that it's absurd. And no, "IE's lack of security DOES hurt consumers" is not a valid counter-argument: the legal case had nothing to do with the quality of the browser, just whether or not Microsoft should include it for free with their operating system.
Microsoft has screwed over (and continues to screw over) millions of people. Offering IE for free is not a valid example of Microsoft shafting consumers.
Just because you hate Republicans and Microsoft does not mean that their actions are somehow conspiratorial and wrong.
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|Meanwhile Microsoft just announced that Halo 2 will work on VISTA ONLY. These scumbags never change, just break them up and be done with it.
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|No one ever agrees with me. We have to find Bill Gate's house and set it ablaze so someone gets the picture that people are radically angry with M$.
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|Do you think this will put pressure on the EU to accept what MS has done with the code?
What exactly are they wanting in the "first boot sequence?" and who is wanting it? I also thought this was only about Windows Server and the protocols?
I have only been following this for about 4 months and would like some more info. Anyone know of a link they can give?
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|First boot sequence is the bootloader (grub, lilo, ntldr).
It was actually an item in the monopoly suit and ruling. It's buried, but it's in there.
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|Ok, everyone says that Microsoft is bad and it may be true, but this is like going to buy a Toyota and telling them that you want a Ford motor, GM Chassis, Honda electronics, and Toyota emblems!
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AHampton2K
http://www.fits.cc - IT Community
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|DoJ is pleased, but sadley the EU is not. Didn't read anything here that mentions EU has rejected Microsoft's claims, and will enforce the fine...
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|"The complaint questioned whether manufacturers would be able to customize the first boot sequence."
What am I missing?
Why the hell should MS have to make it customizable?
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|Exactly, Microsoft made their operating system, why should they have to let other people install crap that slows it down? Applications can easily be preinstalled using existing OEM tools.
I guess you can think of this one of t wo ways. Microsoft is like the engine to a car, they have to let the customer decide who they want gas and spark plugs and such from. Or, Microsoft is like an artist who is required to let other people to paint on his painting before selling it.
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|I thought they were talking about the splash screen. Maybe not.
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|Neither.
First boot Sequence.
Think OOBE.
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