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Microsoft Settles Be Antitrust Suit for $23.25M
ewhac writes "Without admitting wrongdoing, Microsoft today agreed to pay $23,250,000 to Be, Inc., to settle anti-trust claims against the software giant. The payout is anticipated to be used to complete the orderly dissolution of the company. Shortly after announcing sale of key assets to Palm, Be, Inc., filed suit against Microsoft in February 2002, alleging destruction of its business via illegal exclusionary and anti-competitive business practices."
Microsoft calls it 'Freedom to Innovate', everybody else calls it 'Freedom to Violate'.
Now that Microsoft has settled with Be for $23 million dollars, they'll have to cut back to 12 towels a day to wipe down dancing monkeyboy Ballmer. He'll be significantly moister with everything that that entails. I feel truly sorry for the Microsoft employees working in his immediate proximity.
The only reason why MS could settle this case is that Be agreed to the terms of the settlement.
It's no more sad that MS could settle this case for a "paltry" $23 mil than it is that Be would actually accept that settlement.
And when the smoke cleared in the dusty street outside the courthouse, Microsoft was left, a few bullets short, still smirking.
... formidible arsenal might not be enough to protect you someday. Dead men like these do say something about you, you know."
The old judge watched on and winced at the display of street "justice", knowing he had no role in this display. Still, he spoke: "You aught to be careful, Mr. Microsoft. Your...attitude may bring such antagonism that even your
"Bah", Microsoft said, turning. Soon, Mr. Microsoft's gun barrel wavered towards the judge's general direction, "Dead men tell no tales." Mr. Microsoft then promptly holstered his weapon, tipped his hat, and rode away, honor still officially intact.
Ryan Fenton
"Damnit! We should have filed a lawsuit against Microsoft instead of Big Blue!" -- Darl
To be honest, living in the belly of the beast itself, Seattle, I see these weirdo's on an almost daily basis. I actually have spent many a drunken night courting these folks at bars in town and lemme tell ya, they are all cultishly 1000500% behind the company and everything they stand for.
In fact, last week, I was telling some finance woman the reason why the worms and virus are so dominant, how it was base level crap that allowed the vulnerabilities, and all she could say to me, with a golden hued gleam in her eyes was:
"Thats why we put security features in both IE and Outlook."
I said to her:
"Well, so thats great, but did it stop these worms and virus attacks?"
She got uncomfortable, and began to talk about what a great company Microsoft was...
Simple - Microsoft didn't have the resources, either.
Their orcs, err, lawyers, have been sent to Isengard, err, SCO, to help with the capture of the One Line of Code.
Damned Linux Hobbits.
Think about it:
1 people work too many hours, they live and breath 10,12, 16+ hour a day inside MS. Most employees are sleep deprived.
There diet is generally poor.
They listen to the MS propaganda all the time.
when they go out they almost exclusivly go out with MS employees.
The company expects that Wives and children are second to the company.
then within the company, you have 'cells' of people. If you interact 'inapproprietly' towards another cell, your leader can make your life hell, so you always smile.
OTOH, somedays I wish I was so completly blind, I could ignore the worlds problems.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
"She got uncomfortable, and began to talk about what a great company Microsoft was..."
Typical Borg reaction.
I actually have spent many a drunken night courting these folks at bars in town
Dude,
You're never gonna get laid this way.