Microsoft Settles Massachusetts Antitrust Suit

krog writes "Boston.com is reporting that Microsoft has settled its antitrust suit in Massachusetts. The state was one of the last holdouts in the class action suit. The bounty? About $34 million, distributed among individuals (as opposed to businesses and government users). Not such a bad payoff, even if it is the scraps from Billy's table..."

Comments

34 Million is 34 Million

[tod_miller]

The best part is the precendent. I am sure that this will not stop further action being taken against M$ in the event that they do continue to damage other companies through delibrate anti-competative behaviour.

It is terrible that the European ruling on Microsoft has managed to be suspended, but lets hope the momentum can pass it through. It must be chaotic at Redmond.

*muahaha*cough*

I wonder, does Microsoft have a problem getting good employees? I would think that most developers worth their salt would work anywhere rather than for M$.

Re:34 Million is 34 Million

[justkarl]

I wonder, does Microsoft have a problem getting good employees? I would think that most developers worth their salt would work anywhere rather than for M$.

I would disagree. Just because a company has legal troubles,(What company doesn't) it doesn't mean they're a bad company to work for. In fact, I hear from people who have worked for MS that it's one of the better places to work, with good pay and superior benefits packages. Granted, MS should be punished appropriately for what they've done, but I don't think it makes them 100% Evil.

Re:34 Million is 34 Million

[tod_miller]

No I meant more of the fact that there is a large anti-microsoft feeling in the up and coming IT talent, and this perhaps is a great threat to Microsoft.

Those with the talent do tend to embrace the technologies.

Perhaps this carcinogenic intake of less than great talent into Microsoft (not aimed at you, if you work for them, well, heck, it is! ;-) is what will kill them.

I mean, I wouldn't ever work for them! EvEr!

Whats that Bill? How much? Erm... ok! :-)

Re:34 Million is 34 Million

[justkarl]

No I meant more of the fact that there is a large anti-microsoft feeling in the up and coming IT talent, and this perhaps is a great threat to Microsoft.

Look, don't ban me for life from Slashdot for saying it; I mean, I like Linux as much as the next guy. But I think "up and coming" IT talent(A category I would put myself in) needs to understand and support both Linux and MS, because MS will remain to be a major market shareholder for a long time. But I'm sure Linux will grow into the mainstream, too(although it sort of already has).

Re:34 Million is 34 Million

[gl4ss]

the money should just be a slap.. what's bad about this kind of settling is that it doesn't really make MS change it's act any cleaner at all, on the contrary it gives them an ok signal to keep doing what they've been doing all along.

as to the employees, they get good money. there's enough of people wanting good money. besides, people are very good at twisting the world in their eyes so that they're the good guys.

Re:34 Million is 34 Million

[tod_miller]

No doubt about supporting Linux and MS, but working for them? I am just thinking that, although not everyone, there is a fairly large chunk of people who wouldn't work for Microsoft, and perhaps, not all of them, but many of them, are the top in their field.

A small perceptual slump in the number of people in certain skill areas not wanting to work for Microsoft would possibly have a noticible effect with the management, they might start 'opening sources' to the code.

To be honest, it is easier to look at MS Office, and see what it does, than to look at the code and see what it does.

Look to innovate, not immitate (OT but hey, it sounded good!)

There is a such a thing as a Free Lunch!

[tod_miller]

"The vouchers will go to those districts in which 50 percent or more of the students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches."

Thanks Microsoft! When do I get to sue them?

Basically 36 million in vouchers, people can buy IT stuff. Half of any not claimed goes to schools for IT quipt.

Last Holdout

[4of12]

IIRC, Massachusetts was the last state holding out for an appeal of the Justice Department's settlement with Microsoft.

How has that settlement been working in practice?

There seems to be simmering small changes and perturbations as the agreement is reviewed, such as protocol licensing (MCPP).

Quoting from the Infoworld article:

Microsoft still enjoys a 90 percent market share in the browser and desktop operating system markets, said Stephen Houck, representing the so-called California group of states that sued Microsoft in the antitrust case. The licensing program's effect on competition is difficult to find, he said.

Kollar-Kotelly agreed. "At this point, it's difficult to measure its impact on the marketplace," she said.

The changes to the program are largely cosmetic, Ed Black, president and chief executive officer of the Computer and Communications Industry Association, said after the hearing. The two-year extension of the licensing program is the equivalent of rearranging deck chairs on a sinking ship, he said.

If Judge Kollar-Kotelly finds the agreement not to be working effectively, then perhaps it's time for the court to review the agreement to see what changes might be made in order to effectively rectify the ongoing illegal monopoly and to restore a competitive marketplace.

Re:Isn't it supposed to hurt?

[silicon not in the v]

I'm glad you haven't been modded up yet. You quote one line from the article, make a false assumption and apparently didn't read the VERY NEXT SENTENCE, which disproved what you ranted about. Let me quote those two sentences here with emphasis on the part you seem to have missed.

Under the settlement, Microsoft will give half the value of any unclaimed vouchers to Massachusetts' public schools. Those vouchers may be used to buy hardware, Microsoft software and non-Microsoft software, and professional development services.

Can we also look at this paragraph above that?

Qualifying Massachusetts consumers will receive vouchers used to buy any manufacturer's desktop, laptop and tablet computers; any software available for sale to the public and used with those products; and specified accessories for use with computers.

So these vouchers, claimed or unclaimed, can be used to buy barebones systems with no OS installed, or even PC's pre-installed with Linux? How about that? And it only took a little R'ing of TFA to find that out.