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RealNetworks Sues Microsoft Over Antitrust Issues

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the not-gonna-take-it-anymore dept.

jamacdon writes "Yahoo! has an article about RealNetworks Inc. filing an antitrust suit against Microsoft, claiming that MS has violated antitrust laws. This claim appears to revolve around how PC makers are restricted from including competing media players. Very similiar to the Internet Explorer issue, but different content. Will the results be the same?"

4 of 491 comments (clear)

  1. It might werk. by irokitt · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Real has a case there, because Microsoft is using the same tried-and-true approach that made IE what it is today. And the fact that they make it almost impossible to remove WMP in XP will make the case that much more believable.

    --
    If my answers frighten you, stop asking scary questions.
  2. Incompetent DOJ by Jesus+IS+the+Devil · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Seems to me the DOJ is doing one lame ass job in enforcing antitrust laws.

    Ask yourself, how FAIR can competition be when one application gets deep penetration into the consumer market while others are locked out on purpose?

    --

    eTrade SUCKS
  3. Violation of the settlement? by hoytt · · Score: 5, Interesting

    One could argue that Microsoft uses their monopoly position to strongly urge the OEMs not to include Real software. This would certainly be a violation of the settlement. It seems that Microsoft is still pulling the strings when OEMs need to decide what software to include with their computers. That's not a good thing.

  4. Re:Blah. Who to root for? by pla · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is like a steel cage match between bin Laden and Hitler. Who the hell do I root for?

    Y'know, I just pondered this for a moment, and find it somewhat odd...

    Years ago, back in the prime of the dialup days, we just couldn't hate any company more than AOL. Anything involving them might as well have had leprosy, as far as geeks felt.

    And yet now, with this tossup (WMP vs RealOne), I just realized that I currently use both a browser (Mozilla) and a media player (WinAmp) heavily funded by AOL.

    Strange, how times can change. And yet, if you asked me my general opinion of AOL, I'd still say they suck - But I suppose I have to thank them for sponsoring two pretty nice programs.



    Scary thought - Perhaps some day, we'll have to thank (gasp!) Microsoft for creating something nice for us? Eeeek. Time to go hide under the bed for a while.