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Microsoft Expert Witness Stumbles

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the everyone-feel-bad-for-stu dept.

parking_god writes "MIT prof Stuart Madnick, testifying on MS's behalf, was caught out twice when a government attorney asked him to name an OS (other than one made by Microsoft) where the browser couldn't be removed. Madnick also faltered on several other questions." Basically he doesn't understand what GNOME and KDE are, and since we're all holier-than-thou know-it-alls around here, we might as well laugh at Microsoft's expense ;)

6 of 915 comments (clear)

  1. Coincidental Slashdot Fortune by DLWormwood · · Score: 5, Funny

    He missed an invaluable opportunity to hold his tongue.
    -- Andrew Lang

    Talk about perfect timing for a random draw from the fortune file...

    --
    Those who complain about affect & effect on /. should be disemvoweled
  2. The most popular prof... by Merk · · Score: 5, Funny

    So lemme get this straight -- this guy is a CS prof at MIT, home of the FSF. He voluntarily agreed to testify on Microsoft's behalf, and then didn't know the difference between an operating system and a desktop environment?

    Man, this guy's courses must be popular! I bet you really have to fight to get in to: "Introduction to flicking on the power switch thingy 101" and "How to click on the start menu 304"

    1. Re:The most popular prof... by billnapier · · Score: 5, Funny

      DOS is an OS? Really? Maybe just barely...



      The Master was explaining the nature of Tao to one of his novices.

      "The Tao is embodied in all software -- regardless of how insignificant,"
      said the Master.

      "Is the Tao in a hand-held calculator?" asked the novice.

      "It is," came the reply.

      "Is the Tao in a video game?" asked the novice.

      "It is even in a video game," said the Master.

      "Is the Tao in the DOS for a personal computer?" asked the novice.

      The Master coughed and shifted his position slightly. "The lesson is over
      for today," he said.

  3. shells by mikeee · · Score: 5, Funny

    You mean there are shells other than emacs??

  4. "House of cards" by Keith+Russell · · Score: 5, Funny

    How's this for a ringing endorsement of Microsoft's products?

    [Madnick] showed the judge a diagram that depicted Windows as a system made up of dozens of oddly shaped, interconnected pieces. Madnick said the diagram showed how Windows was like a "house of cards" that could collapse if any of the pieces were removed.

    Emphasis mine. Source: ZDNet: Microsoft's MIT prof gets grilled by states

    Mind you, this was a witness for Microsoft. Amazing. Microsoft is so arrogant, it can claim gross incompetence to avoid incrimination, and still look forward to getting away with it.

    --
    This sig intentionally left blank.
  5. Re:well, isn't he right? by klaun · · Score: 5, Funny
    The article ribs the witness for calling KDE an operating system. Well, no, KDE is a user interface / window manager / shell sitting on top of the Linux (or other) kernel. Same as Explorer, which is a user interface / window manager / shell on top of the Windows NT kernel (in NT/2000/XP anyway). Perhaps he should have said KDE/Linux, but do we really want to go there?

    Well, I'll go right out and buy a copy of just the Windows NT kernel with no MS window manager and install that other window manager for the Windows/NT OS from ... um ... Oh I guess there isn't another window manager for MS OS, and come to think of it Microsoft doesn't offer their OS without a Window Manager. Come to think of it they claim a Window Manager is an integral part of an OS. Strange that... guess all those systems with no console don't run an OS.