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Gateway Testifies To Microsoft's OEM Treatment

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the no-surprises-here dept.

unconfused1 writes "Gateway testified yesterday about the incredible power that Microsoft wields over OEMs concerning Windows being shipped on every PC. It seems that if an OEM does not ship Windows on every PC they ship that they are severely penalized, and can have their license revoked."

4 of 625 comments (clear)

  1. This seems to be standard Microsoft practice. by zapfie · · Score: 5, Informative

    For those who have not read it, I would suggest reading Sony's comments regarding Microsoft's licencing of Windows. This is from Sony's submitted commments to the Microsoft Antitrust case. If you think being an OEM and having to include Windows on every PC is bad, imagine being an OEM and knowing that it is possible that "Microsoft [could] use its monopoly power to force its OEM licensees to give up intellectual property rights."

    --
    slashdot!=valid HTML
  2. Re:Dell by dcgaber · · Score: 5, Informative

    Dell has something to say on this matter. Read it here. Basically MS e-mails/memos released at the trial last week discussig "hitting the OEM [Dell] harder than in the past with anti-Linux actions," while other e-mails urged Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer to remind Dell "of the meat of why it's smart to be partnered with Microsoft."

    Dell's response? A spokesman for Dell, Mike Maher, declined to comment on the case but said the company sells computer equipment with the Linux operating system installed if requested.

    "We still offer [Linux] on the [corporate] side and as needed as customers ask for it," he said.

    Naturally, this shows a fear of retribution, but shortly after the emails, Dell stopped offer linux on the desktop.

  3. Re:Dell by JordanH · · Score: 5, Informative
    • I would love to see what Dell has to say about the OEM agreements with MS. After all they did support Linux for a little while. Now that seems to have gone by the waist-side.

    Dell stopped support for Linux? I wonder why?

    I won't make you go digging (quoting from the above article):

    The states intend to introduce a series of documents detailing discussions Microsoft had with Dell Computer Corp. with the goal of giving Dell a "hard time" about selling Linux desktops. Dell last year pulled its desktop Linux line.
  4. You're COMPLETELY missing the issue... by telstar · · Score: 5, Informative
    They're pretty dumb if they thought they were going to get away with that.

    • You're COMPLETELY missing the issue. Microsoft requested that large portions of the submitted testimony be dismissed because they have to do with the states presening NEW evidence. The current hearings are only supposed to address two issues ... the browser war, and the Java war. The 9 states are introducing evidence and presenting witnesses to discuss things like hand-helds, set-top boxes, and any other market that Microsoft has entered since the initial trial was completed. Not only are these issues out of the scope of this trial, they're actually weakening the states' position. Judge Kollar-Kotelly has already warned the states to stay within the domain of what was presented at during the trial and appeal phases, but the states continue to present this evidence in the penalty phase. By not striking this evidence from the record, Kollar-Kotelly leaves it on record for future appelate courts to handle, but she'll likely dismiss a great deal of it when she ultimately renders her decision at the conclusion of this phase.