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The 'Hairy Guys' Vs. Microsoft
Jeremy Allison - Sam writes "The IHT is running the best write-up I've seen on the Microsoft vs EU Anti-Trust case, featuring quotes from tridge (Creator of Samba) and Carlo Piana (the FSFE lawyer). Nicely contrasts the difference between the Microsoft legal Team and the resources the FSFE has to work with. I was the FSFE witness for the initial hearing and the first trial, and this article nicely explains what it's like to be there." From the article: "The settlements left a group of computer programmers and activists, united under the banner of the Free Software Foundation Europe, with a bigger-than-expected role in supporting the EU's goal of loosening Microsoft's grip over the software industry. Only half-joking, one observer at the court this past week called some members FSFE and allies 'the hairy guys' - in contrast to the well- groomed legal teams fielded by Microsoft."
Article all on one page2 006/04/28/yourmoney/msft.php.
http://iht.com/bin/print_ipub.php?file=/articles/
But speaking of hairy, I want an RMS pony!
OMG!!! RMS PONIES!!!
No the justice dept took the break up of MS off the table after they won the initial ruling. The clinton justice dept was pushing for it, the bush justice dept took it off the table.
evil is as evil does
Mate, you've completely missed the point.
Microsoft's not in trouble because they've bundled software. Microsoft's in trouble because they've abused their monopoly in one area (end-user operating systems and office-program file formats) to gain monopolies in other areas (web browsers, media formats, server operating systems etc).
It's not the fact that there's a media player integrated with the OS: As you say, that's been around since Windows 3.something, and Apple's OS X and most GNU/Linux distributions contain them by default. It's the fact that they're abusing their operating system monopoly to encourage a file format monopoly, which will then re-inforce their OS monopoly. (Think about it: Support on GNU/Linux music/movie players for the WMV format is limited. Knowing that, will you be less likely to switch?)
OTOH, all free software uses documented, easily understood and re-implemented file formats. Even if Red Hat got a monopoly on OSes and used that to try for one on music players with Rhythmbox, Microsoft could easily write a better music player that supports Ogg Vorbis files, and users could switch at no cost in terms of file formats.
That's why Tridgell, who develops Samba, software which allows communication with Windows file and printer shares from alternative operating systems, is there. Tridgell didn't have a viable business that was ruined by Microsoft bundles. He's trying to create a better file server that users can switch to at no cost in terms of client/protocol support, and Microsoft is trying to stop him in ways European society (it seems) generally does not approve of.
Look out!