Microsoft Flouting DOJ Settlement?

An anonymous reader writes "According to the Washington Post, Microsoft is not adhering to the terms of its deal with the DOJ. Specifically, there are allegations that it is "trying to license key pieces of its technology at inflated rates" and "thwarting its antitrust settlement with the federal government". They're charging $100,000 just to see technical info about their communication protocols, and you only get $50,000 back if you decide you don't want to license them. Whoda thunk?"

Comments

That's ok....

[Got-Tea-Rolls]

because I don't abide by their EULAs either, so it all settles out.

ObFightClub

[Anonymous Coward]

I am Jack's utter lack of surprise.

gosh

[boogy nightmare]

oh shock horror, never saw that one coming.....

i mean really, what did you think they were going to do.

S

Re:gosh

[EvilTwinSkippy]

Oh I'm crushed that Microsoft is not living up to the agreement.

Next you will be telling me there is no Santa Claus.

Re:gosh

[hendridm]

> Next you will be telling me there is no Santa Claus.

Give me about a year or so and I'll be telling you there is no Santa Cruz (Operation).

Okay..

[jagilbertvt]

So, we pay $100k to find out they have no communication protocols, and only get $50k back? I'll charge half that if anyone's interested in seeing my communication protocols.

Re:Okay..

[yatest5]

So, we pay $100k to find out they have no communication protocols, and only get $50k back? I'll charge half that if anyone's interested in seeing my communication protocols.

Yeah, don't wait up - not too much interest in "uh, huh-huh, you're a girl, aren't you, uh-huh-huh-huh".

Surely you jest?

[Black Parrot]

How can you suggest such a thing? There's absolutely no evidence that Microsoft isn't just as well behaved as every other American corporation, such as Enron, WorldCom, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, etc.

All together, with a vaguely French accent:

[burgburgburg]

The low number of licensees concerns the Justice Department, which says it is devoting extensive resources to evaluating the program.

"I'm Shocked! Shocked!"

Windows Update

[PFactor]

I bet DOJ used Windows Update. Now, none of their computers work. That would explain their lack of follow-through in this case.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea

[bpland]

"Basically, I'd have to shoot the engineers when they came back," said one irate company executive.

So this is what happens to our best and brightest programmers.....

Shoot the engineers?!?

[dereklam]

"Basically, I'd have to shoot the engineers when they came back," said one irate company executive.

Yeah, I'd do the same thing if I were forced to send my engineers to visit Redmond...

communication protocols?

[bilbobuggins]

why the hell would i pay $100,000 to look at freebsd code?

133 Protocols

[Bob9113]

Companies must put up $100,000 just to see the technical information about the 133 protocols, which helps a potential licensee determine if it wants or needs any of them. But if the company chooses not to license, it gets back only $50,000.

Somebody send a correction to the Washington Post. When making fun of an underskilled and overarrogant programmer or group of programmers, the correct derogatory spelling would be, "l33t protocols".