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Microsoft, DoJ Reach Tentative Settlement
JeffMagnus writes: "MSNBC is reporting that the tentative settlement between Microsoft and the DoJ calls for a five-year consent decree between the government and Microsoft governing the company's conduct. A three person panel of independent experts will be created to review the companys' future activity." The New York Times appears to be the original source for the settlement stories; there's also an AP article.
An industry trade group that has been critical of Microsoft's business practices accused the Bush administration of "selling out" by seeking weak penalties.
Americans let's remember this when it's time to vote again in a few years. Bush, more so than any administration I can remember, is for sale. He's too close to the business and too far from the people. Finally, he doesn't understand the issues.
This isn't meant to be flamebait. Heck, I voted for him (sorry about that). I'm just saying it would be foolish to fail to consider that he instructed to courts to back down when it's time to vote again.
That which does not kill me only makes me whinier
Nah... RMS would be much better than Katz...
I like you, Stuart. You're not like everyone else, here, at Slashdot.
Americans let's remember this when it's time to vote again in a few years.
Elections can be fixed. Like the last one.
What you need is to get some folks on the Supreme Court. Apparently they choose the presidents these days...
There's a nice big grassy area in front of the Capitol building. Only a couple lanes of street separate the grass from the Capitol This grassy area is large, level, well compacted and suitable for tanks and troop carriers, but it will also work just as well for tractors, SUVs cars and trucks and legion hordes of pissed off citizens who're mad as hell and have decided that they just will not take being fucked by their government anymore. Once they have reached a point of irritation where what pisses them off has sufficient power to actually distract them more than momentarily, sufficient power to crowd out thoughts of what's on TV tonight and those recurring daydreams of the perfect living room suite, then they may finally step off that curb into the street to tell the world about it. Immediately they will begin to feel relief. A weighted riot baton can feel like a masseur's hand. However, until that point arrives they must persevere with the cold comfort of Everybody Loves Raymond and fantasies of ensconcing themselves in velvet or leather recliners.
There's a colossal cascade of white marble steps that flow down from the Capitol's portico. White marble makes for a high contrast background against which your expression of displeasure can hardly be overlooked by television cameras. Red is a color that can really "pop" on a white background under all sorts of lighting. There on the steps is as wide a canvas for you to express your displeasure as can be found anywhere in North America. You may have to furnish the red pigment from your personal supply like brave people did in Genoa and Seattle, but if you wait for corporate sponsorship of your art you will die without ever being heard.
I'd like to join you there. But since you and other people are still talking about writing letters to tell distant frauds and functionaries how pissed off you are, I can tell you aren't very serious or very pissed off yet.
The only letter that can change the present corrupt state of affairs in America is a Frank Booth Love Letter.
Johnny Quest has two Daddies.
No need to break up Microsoft. No need to take money from them. No need to force them to give up all of their intellectual property by forcing them to open source their products. These solutions are either too extreme or they just wouldn't help the situation. However, forced FREE and OPEN documentation would absolutely solve the problem. KOffice would quickly become MSOffice compatible. WINE would work correctly %100 of the time. Visual Basic apps could be compiled for Linux. Konquerer would be able to correctly render net sites made for IE. All we need is documentation... no fighting, no breaking, no stealing... just documentation.