Final Arguments in MS vs. the States

Bistronaut writes "Reports are in today on the final arguments between the 9 State Attorneys General and Microsoft (articles from eWeek). CNN also has a summary. Spoiler: States say, "Here are our priorities for reforming MS." - MS says, "We don't need no stinkin' remedy.""

Comments

Here's ZDNet's Article

[grylnsmn]

ZDNet is running an article on this as well. It has some interesting comments posted by the readers in their Talkback section.

Latin Am�rica Perception

[Rams�s Morales]

I'm from Panamá, and many latin american countries have the same opinion on this issue:

Here, people is convinced that the DOJ is hurting USA's economy by fighting MS. They are convinced that MS is the "good guys" of the movie.

When I try to explain that MS is really an unethical monopoly, no-one understands.... whats worst, is that there is people that doesn't wants to understand the facts.... "No, No, Microsoft is the messiah".

It is sad to live in a third world country. Big companies like Microsoft can convince everyone of their lies.

I have seen all kind of people beleiving MS's lies, in person. High school students, college students, government people in the highest positions (like our president), PhDs (not in computer science, of course).

What could I do to make people open their eyes and see the truth???

Show them the letter from Peru...

[Svartalf]

Congressman Villanueva's response to MS' letter opposing the law up for a vote in Peru's Congress is telling.

http://www.pimientolinux.com/peru2ms/villanueva_ to _ms.html

"Reconstructs Microsoft's Business" - normal

[Animats]

"Reconstructing" an antitrust violator's business is normal operating procedure in antitrust cases. When IBM lost an antitrust case, they had to disclose the specs for mainframe peripherals, which created a whole plug-compatible industry, and eventually plug-compatible non-IBM mainframes.

When AT&T lost an antitrust case, the whole phone system had to be rearchitected. That was a massive technical effort of enormous complexity. Supporting multiple long distance carriers was a huge job. But, by court order, it was done.

The sanctions proposed for Microsoft are mild by comparison. A comparable remedy for Microsoft would be to force Microsoft to separate into an applications business unit and an OS business unit, with a requirement for published APIs.

Since all the antitrust lawyers and the judge know the history of antitrust law, they know all this, and Microsoft is just grandstanding.

Re:Where is the Amicus Curiae Brief?

[Lewis Mettler, Esq.]

Take a look at my web site.

I do provide a link there. And, I can thank The Register for digging it up.