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Judge Examines Microsoft Settlement Progress
Infonaut writes "The judge who presided over the settlement between Microsoft and the federal government may be starting to realize what a lot of people already know about Microsoft. The settlement was predicated on the belief that competitors would be able to license technology from Microsoft in order to get some relief from Microsoft's desktop OS monopoly. As Kollar-Kelly admitted, 'I think all of us had hoped for more agreements.' Now the judge is asking federal prosecutors to examine specifically why more licensing agreements have not been reached. I'm truly shocked that the settlement isn't turning out as planned, after the Justice Department so shrewdly rolled over when they had Microsoft over a barrel."
Like, a broken Devo record or something.
Seriously, nobody in the real world gives a shit about this, and the idea of a "monopoly" based on intellectual property is laughable.
It ain't oil, it ain't air, it ain't water, and it ain't food. Nobody's dying in the streets over MS's dominance in the OS market.
What's funny is they, by definition, do not have a monopoly. I mean, there are innumerable choices - this is not an arguable item.
And yet here you nerds go, all chiming in with your "they got a slap on the wrist"'s and "the law doesn't understand technology"'s.
Next you'll start in with "won't someone please think of the CHILDREN!!!!". Egads, how ridiculous.
The way to beat Microsoft is to beat Microsoft. Bitching the judge, justice dept etc didn't throw the game isnt going to help anyone. Arguing the courts should interfere in business won't win converts or friends.
The way to beat microsoft is to consistently build better products. Products that do things Microsofts don't, offer choices Microsoft won't, or provide economies that Microsoft can't are the key to dislodging them.
No one who makes decisions at a company is going to ask if a product is politically correct, if they do they should be fired. They either want something that will help them win against their competition or will mean fewer headaches for them. It doesn't matter if stalin, some crazy leftist wacko, or pat robertson is making it.
If you want to bitch about microsoft bitch about how they put their users at risk. Bitch about how the complete lack of security in windows products will make companies with sensitive data LIABLE. Bitch about how the lack of security in microsoft products makes certain business crimally culpable (healthcare, banking)
Don't go on and on about how microsoft pushed the envelope of business practice. Everybody respects a tough competitor nobody respects whiners.