25 More States Oppose MSFT Antitrust Dismissal

phebz23 writes "News.com is reporting that 25 more states (even Washington!) are rallying behind the previous 9 to prevent Judge Kollar-Kotelly from dismissing the case on the grounds that the states should not have say in antitrust policy which is opposite of Microsoft's motion. They cite the Clayton Act, which grants them the authority to continue the case." Important to note that the states say: "even when the federal government has proposed to settle a case. Congress has granted the states clear authority to proceed independently under Section 16, despite the fact that the federal government has chosen not to act, has proposed to settle a case, has in fact settled a case, or has taken the matter to trial."

Comments

Microsoft has brought this on themselves

[linzeal]

You can piss all over citizen's rights in the united states and barely a wimper will ever be heard in the "hallowed" halls of congress. Piss on the state rights and they will bite your dick off and tell you how tasty it is.

This is I feel the beginning of "to the pain" for microsoft. I wonder if even they understand fully how quaint little laws from the states themselves will begin popping up dragging them into dangerous and legally hopeless territory?

hmm

[bigbadbuccidaddy]

Built-in protection against Micorosoft's lobbying efforts at the federal level. I wouldn't have thought our government capable of such forsight.

Re:hmm

[Decimal]

Built-in protection against Micorosoft's lobbying efforts at the federal level. I wouldn't have thought our government capable of such forsight.

The government can't help it. The protection is completely integrated with the Operating System. Removing it would break the government completely, or worse, we'd be seeing literally thousands of U.S. government variants! You don't want that, do you?

MS "Redmondia"

[stixnpics]

News Flash: "Hail Redmondia"

MS has defined the borders of "Redmondia"
on 100 square miles of what was formerly
contained in the State of Washington and ceceded from the United States.

The State of Washington has accepted an
undisclosed amount to enable Redmondia
to establish a Monarchy within their borders.

Citizenship to the new country will be granted
to all inhibitants of Redmondia and land rights
will be transferred to MS Corp.

"Change to Rules... whenever you appear to be
about to loose... winning is just delaying
any possibility of loosing."

McD

Re:I bet Microsoft wishes they donated more money.

[red_dragon]

There is no doubt that Bill will try to correct this situation in the next election. However, (arguably) we all know that Bill is not so dense so as to go bankrupt while buying off every state. So, what else could he do? That's right:

Bill Gates will run for President of the United States

However, he will join neither the Republican nor the Democratic parties, because those were not invented by Microsoft. Instead, he'll be the candidate from the Business Software Alliance Party. Their flag will consist of Clippy drawn over the Windows logo on a blue background.

I shudder at the thought of all this.

Let him have the nation!

[gatesh8r]

Then we as the US could bar the sale of all goods here from Redmondia. :-)

Re:Let him have the nation!

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd just declare war...

Re:MS is screwed on this one

[Trepalium]

i wonder if MS has found a way to make their products addictive too.

Isn't that what the MCSE training is for?

Re:Governmental controls

[Skiboo]

Dude, you've got that all wrong... When they say that, they're talking about cheques and (bank) balances ;)