RSSJudge OKs Microsoft Settlement
By Nate Mook | Published November 1, 2002, 8:04 PM
U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly today accepted Microsoft's proposed settlement with the Department of Justice that was put forth one year ago. In a decisive victory for the software giant, the judge largely rejected a demand by nine states and the District of Columbia for additional sanctions.
"The court is satisfied that the parties have reached a settlement which comports with the public interest," wrote Kollar-Kotelly.
The judge eliminated a technical committee that was proposed to oversee compliance of the settlement, and instead instituted an internal corporate compliance committee made up of Microsoft board members. The settlement also calls for Microsoft to open communication protocols in Windows six months earlier than initially proposed.
In response to the decision, Microsoft said in a statement: "We are pleased that the court has conditionally approved the settlement we reached with the federal government and the nine states. The settlement is a tough, but fair, compromise. It imposes significant requirements on Microsoft, but it enables us to continue to innovate and to create products that address the changing needs of our customers. We recognize that we will be closely scrutinized by the government and our competitors, and we will devote all the time, energy and resources needed to ensure that we meet our responsibilities."
A full copy of the decision is available on the district court's Web site.
It's a good thing we can always look at anthonymaans for intelligent insightful comments lol.
So anthonymaans, you're 11, maybe 12 years old?
Score: 0
|"Here in america unlike the hole you live in we have the freedom to create a large company and stomp out the competitors, in tunr creating millions of jobs for americans."
Sure, if you do it within the limits of the law. However there are laws prohibiting monoplistic behavior. Convervitaves like to take into account the amount of jobs Microsoft is providing, however you fail to take into account the companies whom have been acquired by Microsoft only to have their original staff layed off, and companies who where shut out of business; not due to one company providing a better product, but due to one company having an unfair, and illegal mopolistic advantage.
A good amount of large companies competing against each other supports a much larger job market than does one gaint company controling an entire market. Hence the laws prohibiting such things. It just appears as though this administration is not going to enforce those laws unfortunately enough. Seeing that Microsoft has contributed 63% of it's money to republicans (http://www.opensecrets.o...ies/contrib.asp?Ind=B12) it is no surprise really, still unfortunate however.
Score: 0
|You´re talking ´bout pisshole and s***ass country, give me a break you stupid "BLOCKHEAD" you don´t know anything ´bout the world around you, this is a typical american way of thinking, in your world there only are one country and it´s USA. Anyway you don´t know a thing about me and to say I´m against an american invasion of Iraq, to remove one single man, but at the same time causing serious trouble for all the other citizen in Iraq, I must say it´s real bright and clear thinking. Of course I would love to see this Sadam guy with 3 eyes in his head, but I would do it in a little more elegant way, than a bunch of stupid brainless american cowboys.
Score: 0
|Anthony Maas said, "Can u say war? Everyone blames bush for the bad economy when it is really a number of things including congress and the fact that we are now forced into spending billions of dollars to keep us safe!!!!! Ill do with low pay to keep me from dying by the hands of a raghead."
Safe, just what did you have in mind when you said that?
You must feel like a target, I wondwer why?
One shudders at the very idea of M$ authoring software to run something serious, like an aircraft carrier.
Let's not confuse bells-n-whistles with robust systems.
Score: 0
|I'd advise you to see a psychiatrist, as soon as possible ...
Score: 0
|hooray for stupid
Score: 0
|Two days later a job ad at microsoft appears that has as one of its responsibilities :
"Demolish competition by knowing everything they do and thwarting their every move in the relevant spaces"
http://www.jobstreet.com.../2002/10/m/20/53243.htm
Score: 0
|Well, this job is in the Philippines.
Crushing competition is a far cry from the usual goings on over there like murder, kidnappings and the like.
Score: 0
|Quit stirring the pot.
Score: 0
|1) Attacking other countries/citizens thereof.
2) Debating "colonial thinking".
"Colonial thinking" SHOULD be reverted to in the US as far as I am concerned. That would effectively bar the US from interfering in ANY other countries affairs as this was the way our founding fathers wanted it. "You don't meddle with us and we won't meddle with you" wouldn't be such a bad idea and would certainly get alot of mental cases off our backs.
Score: 0
|...as to how much they paid for this ruling...
Score: 0
|Have you ever considered seeing a theropist?
Score: 0
|And if you still get no joy, try a therapist ...
Score: 0
|I just wonder how much money microsoft have spent on this judge, he must be corrupt, but in United Bluff everything can happen if you got the money for it, even to pay off a judge. But as one allready have said, they wont get away with that when it comes to Europe.
Score: 0
|Too right ... this decision is perfectly summed up as follows:
"What do you mean, ILLEGAL ??? .. c'mon, this is AMERICA!!!"
Score: 0
|I had a feeling things would go this way. Congrats to MS and a victory for free trade and capitalism. The EU will likely take the same path later on this year if all goes well.
Score: 0
|It is nice this is finally over with (pending further appeals of course), but I'd be interested in seeing how much the last 4 years have cost taxpayers. How much did we end up spending to force Microsoft to open a small bit of Windows code to partners?
Score: 0
|Let's see if I can tell ya, Nate. To quote a retired TV personality - "Can you say far, far, far too much of our hard earned tax money and court resources were wasted in another government attempt to influence business inspired by disgruntled, incompetent "competition" who couldn't compete in the marketplace to a large corporation? Sure, sure ya can." And we wonder why our economy is stagnant.
Score: 0
|Blame it on AOHelL, Sun Micros***stains and Nutscrape.
THEY are the ones who started this whole mess. And they CLAIM that they were acting in the best interests of the PUBLIC? Give me a break, they were acting in their OWN best interests.
Score: 0
|When has Microsoft not acted in its own best interest?
Score: 0
|Uh-yup. I wonder how many congressmen and women they have it THEIR pockets to have even stirred this pot in the first place.
Score: 0
|Intel (monopoly) is too successful… They should give up there secrets to AMD! It’s for the best.
Score: 0
|"When has Microsoft not acted in its own best interest?"
Cmon now ScoJo, we all know that Microsoft only acts in the best interest of consumers. They just want the freedom to "inovate". Sheesh!
Winger: Aparently a lot, http://www.opensecrets.o...ies/contrib.asp?Ind=B12 heh
Close to 3 million dollars in compain contributions, 63% of which is directed at the republicans. Which is why it comes to no surprise that within a matter of months of the Bush Administration, the DOJ droped their attempts to punish Microsoft for breaking set laws (yes, American laws, laws as American as apple pie :p) and immediately wanted to settle, writing up this mock settlement that I'm sure made Mr. Gates grin from ear to ear.
Score: 0
|Sorry, Tux. I was referring to the folks that caused the lawsuit to be initiated in the first place. You remember them - Netscape, Sun, Real, WinAmp and their ilk that whine MS is not allowing us to compete in the market. Shoot. They can't compete because the only thing their software cds are good for is frisbees and Christmas tree decorations.
Score: 0
|"Netscape, Sun, Real, WinAmp and their ilk that whine MS is not allowing us to compete in the market. Shoot. They can't compete because the only thing their software cds are good for is frisbees and Christmas tree decorations."
You really only named two companies, Sun and AOL. Their software is not good, that is why some of their products are not doing well seems to be your arguement. Yet I find it funny that until Microsoft bundled their software into Windows, the competeting technology (Netscape, Real, etc...) was doing quite well. Microsoft bundling their software, and competeting software suddenly losing sucess is just a coincidence right?
Score: 0
|... but soon the European Commission will crash the party.
Score: 0
|Well, if the Euros don't like Microsoft, let them all use Unix. Their economies are already going down the tubes. If the socialists in charge want to deprive European corporations of MS operating systems, that's their tough luck.
Score: 0
|Economies, down the tubes... checked the value of your stocks lately, if you own any? I do know the US stocks I hold are all worth considerably less than they were a year ago. Who wants to explain that one?
This colonial thinking will only alienate and create further tension and resentment, was that intended?
The judgement issued by the courts would seem to be in opposition to what was expressed when the proceedings began. This suggests the courts are being influenced, is there any doubt about whether they are?
Score: 0
|Economies, down the tubes... checked the value of your stocks lately, if you own any? I do know the US stocks I hold are all worth considerably less than they were a year ago. Who wants to explain that one?
Can we say George W. boys and girls!! Can anyone say they are better off now than they were 2 years ago?? I don't think so!!
Score: 0
|Let them eat cake.............
Score: 0
|I am
Score: 0
|Me too!!!
Score: 0
|I seem to remember the economy starting to tank before Bush was elected. Don't blame him for the Tech bubble bursting. If anything we were all riding a false high that had nothing to do with anything Clinton did. It probably was in spite of Clinton.
Score: 0
|