Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Antitrust Compliance Questioned
rocketjam writes "Federal and State regulators overseeing Microsoft's compliance with their antitrust agreement with the government, are questioning whether Windows XP's "Shop for Music Online" feature violates the agreement's terms. Specifically, the feature invokes Microsoft Internet Explorer, even if the user has selected a different web browser as their default browser. A Microsoft representative said they believe they have adhered to the agreement."
It may need to run IE for some ActiveX crud. My game box still has IE installed (alongside Firebird) for the MS updates. They don't seem to like any other browser for me.
Whoops, forgot this was
Trolling is a art,
When MSN Messenger starts, it opens an Internet Explorer window with some advertainment. If you click on any of the links in that window, they also open Internet Explorer. My default browser is Mozilla.
The world will not get better through technology. We must seek to be better people.
[sarcasm]
Microsoft not complying with a settlement order? Say it ain't so, as there is no precedent for such a thing.
[/sarcasm]
Govt: MS, you are not giving users a choice here.
MS: "But your honor, we are giving users a choice. They can use IE for shop for music online or just not shop."
Ahhhh, the MS way.
No trees were harmed in the composition of this; however, numerous electrons were inconvenienced.
A Microsoft representative said "they believe they have adhered to the agreement."
He then turned away from the camera and said "If you don't like it, you can always take us to court"... and then he softly snickered to himself.
Microsoft still evil. Film at 11.
Shocked, I say, to discover that there are violations of the agreement here!
"Your bribe money, sir."
"Thank you."
"Shocked I say!"
I like you, Stuart. You're not like everyone else, here, at Slashdot.
just how sharply Microsoft had their wrist slapped. I mean really. That wrist stung for over 15 minutes. There was a red mark that lasted at least until dinner. Microsoft had trouble typing for the rest of the evening. I personally believe that Microsoft has really learned their lesson this time. I feel comfortable going on vacation and leaving them here alone, with the keys to the Porsche and the liquor cabinet unlocked. I'm confident that they now understand to respect the rights of other companies and that they won't give them wedgies and leave them hanging from the fence. If we can't trust our own Microsoft, then who can we trust?
Why can't other browsers have the same access to those links? I'm sure Mozilla or Opera or whoever could work out their own deals with companies and help pay for the costs of development.
I entirely agree, wanting my personal computer to do what I want it to do is just so unreasonable. Next thing you know people will want to be able to program the damn things themselves. Where will this madness end.
I use and love IE becasue if its intregration into Windows. I like that I can type in a URL anywhere and I get there. The problem I have is that my daughter got a few viruses due to those damn IE holes just by browsing websites. I only go to sites I trust so I do not mind the danger but I cannot tell here which sites are good and bad so I installed Firebird for her and told windes to deny access to IE. Well guess what if you happen to type in a URL in a Explorer windows it goes to the site in IE. I thought it would launch the default application for URL. So I told here never to do that and to first click the flame icon (firebird) before browsing the web.
When is the Slashdot community going abandon it's zealotry and recognize these fundamental truths?
1) Apples are only for graphic artists
2) Linux is 20 year old technology
3) Sun has the best interest of the open source community at heart
4) Microsoft is a fair-dealing, inovative company.
<disclaimer>
Come on guys. This one should be obvious. Do I really have to do one? Oh, okay. It's sarcasm. There. Disclaimed.
</disclaimer>
A Microsoft representative said they believe they have adhered to the agreement.
Tobacco execs "believe" smoking does not cause any harm.
GWB "believes" Saddam was behind 9/11.
I "believe" I am the Queen of England.
If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine
I'm fairly certain that Microsoft representative drove away from giving that statement fully believing he or she was riding the back of a flying pig.
is slashdot auto-highlighting spelling errors now?
Does it really matter which browser opens up?
It matters to me when I click a link, expecting Firebird to open, and I'm instead greeted with all the IE crap like popups, boxes asking permission to install Gator, etc...
My copy of Outlook has this "feature", and I hate it. MS needs to learn that I set my default browser to something else for a reason.
Well, if they haven't "compiled" then they will have to use an interpreter.
Most of their stuff is in BASIC anyway, so they don't really need a compiler.
track7.org has all kinds of interesting stuff!
They believe..whatever they want to believe.
Sorry, I saw Reloaded again last night...
Sosumi.
If you don't want to repeat the past, stop living in it.
Whatever happened to the three strike rule?
1996
Feds: You agree not to bundle anymore right?
Microsoft: Yes
1999
Feds: You broke a rule again, and put Netscape out of business. You won't do this again right?
Microsoft (in 2002) : Yes, now that we own the browser market and have killed Java and Netscape, we promise to never do it again!
2003
Feds: Dude! We talked to you about this!
Microsoft: Yes, but iTunes, Napster, and so many others are STILL in business! Oh, and we're NOT a monopoly! Give us a few years to sort this out will you?
"Curiosity killed the cat, but for a while I was a suspect."- Steven Wright
Mozilla is not under a court order.
Microsoft is, and it's because they have been violating antitrust law.
Your point is like being under house arrest and pointing to your neighber "but he doesn't have to wear the ankle beacon, he get's to leave -his- house".
-pyrrho