“Officials at the U.S. Justice Department met state attorneys general in the case to discuss a settlement that would allow computer manufacturers wider latitude to load non-Microsoft software on the machines they sell and give other software companies greater access to the code behind Microsoft’s Windows dominant personal computer operating system, Reuters reported.” Get the rest of the story at ZDNews. Update: Microsoft, Feds reached a deal. The software maker and the Justice Department settle their longstanding antitrust battle, in an agreement with far-reaching implications.
DOJ, Microsoft Close to a Deal
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
Follow me on Twitter @EugeniaLoli
wider latitude? they can install WindowsME AND WindowsXP.. :O
could Palm sue MS on behalf of Be Inc. now that they own their IP?
“…wider latitude to load non-Microsoft software…”
Right…so we’ll see more OEM “added value” shit–
like the shells Packard Bell used to add to the machine?
How does this help me as a costumer? Now that Be’s
effectively dead? Does this mean we’ll see more WordPerfect?
Yeah right! COrel’s effectively dead thanks to Word’s
constant “improvements” screwing up all my documents!
“…and give other software companies greater access to the
code behind Microsoft’s Windows dominant personal computer
operating system…”
And how does that help me? the End-user? So we get to see
a few more embedded icons on the desktop, big whooping deal!
How’s about something really useful? Like letting the End-user
get a gander at the source code? (yeahh right!) Or perhaps a
tweaking utility with options like 98lite? So I don’t have to
install crapware like Outlook Express on a computer (for various
reasons) will never ever see the internet!!!!
Someone’s got a case of misguided anger. Why not say your pissed about the proposed settlement instead of acting like a zealot.
“And how does that [company access to source] help me? the End-user?”
It means those companies may be able to compete a little better than before.
“How’s about something really useful? Like letting the End-user
get a gander at the source code? (yeahh right!)”
I’ll skip about how you contradict yourself here, and just leave you with this: 90% of the population could give two shits less about seeing the source code for their operating system, or any of the programs their running. They care about having choices, and their productivity, etc.. real things. Not about source code, what language its written in, etc.. who cares.
I see this possible resolution as “better than nothing”. Though its not great, its definately not awful because it IS something assuming that they powers that be follow up on their rulings, etc.
“90% of the population could give two shits less about seeing the source code for their operating system, or any of the programs their running. They care about having choices, and their productivity, etc.. real things”
You’re optimist here.
90% of people in computer industry is probably more realistic.
As for general population – on the question “what computer do you have” their answer is “AOL”.
Yeah, you’re right, maybe i am a little optimistic there.. the point still stands though.
Not many people care.
I think that PC makers could build cheap USD 500 Linux or Beos boxes if they really wanted to. I don’t buy the argument that MS has these firms over a legal barrel vis a vis licensing agreements. The MS-Win dominance stems from a cartel arrangement that is largely the creation of IBM in 1979, which had the goal of wresting control of the microcomputer industry from Gary Kildall and DR. In the e-services and internet era, it’s clear that open standards provide the means by which technology can best and most quickly be created and deployed on a global scale, rather than some monolithic firm like MS that must care first for the wants and needs and political objectives of it’s shareholders. MS uses tactics like driver signing and MS-P3P to keep themselves in a position of control; there’s no evidence that MS driver signing is a definitive stamp of quality, or that MS-P3P will do anything to protect one’s privacy. Btw, this website is excellent, it’s easy to look at and loads really fast over dial-up, good job.
Microsoft is a monopoly, plain and simple!! And with what is happening proves that Microsoft is more powerful than the US Government, at least when it comes to the DOJ that is! I do hope that the 18 states that have lawsuits carry them out harsh and swift, and also the EU is after Microsoft for some monopolistic behaviour as well… go get em Europe!!!
>Btw, this website is excellent, it’s easy to look at and loads really fast over dial-up, good job.
Thank you Don!
OSNews is indeed optimized down to the smallest .jpg, .gif or .png, and I have also optimized the (hand-written – no visual tools) HTML and its table layout in such a way that they render extremely fast even over slow connections and even in the most crappy browser. I have to admit that I am happy with the overall design and especially with its performance. 🙂
heh, you could write the website in REBOL Eugenia, then we could add it to the reb-site list on the REBOL desktop <grin>
No, thanks.
I learnt PHP just one week before this site went live. I had to learn and code it in a weeks time. I don’t want to get to the same hell again (coding till 3 AM etc 
Plus, our beloved admin, helps me with PHP, so I feel kinda ‘secure’ here (thanks Jon!). Don’t get me wrong, I do like Rebol a lot, but it is not the best option for this web site /me thinks.
Just figured a shameless plug wouldn’t go amiss <grin>
It would be cool to see Gobe Productive 3 preinstalled on windows computers…
Rebol is cool… hey Eugenia, have you ever heard of Octopus, Inc? They make web portal software, they have a free personal edition on there website that indivduals can use. It would be cool if OS News could become a content partner with Octopus that way it’s easier to add OS News headlines to an octopus portal… there website is http://www.octopus.com/ IIRC…
“It means those companies may be able to compete a little better than before.”
With what? my point still stands–what does this do to help me?
Or any other “End-users”? So this means that we’ll see a few new
icons on the desktop, or (in WinXP on the “My Computer” window) so
what? How does competition compete when there’s nothing left to
compete with? The only real competition left IMHO is Linux\Free
Software, for the simple reason they can’t “go broke.”
Not that that’ll last too much longer, what with M$ and co doing
their best to make DMCA and SSCA a hammer with which to crush their
enemies…
“With what?”
Office. Windows Media Player. Etc.
“what does this do to help me?”
In short, compition is good because it forces compaines to keep improving their products.
“So this means that we’ll see a few new icons on the desktop”
It will help pepole realize that there is an alternite to say, microsoft office, installed on their computer.
“The only real competition left IMHO is Linux\Free
Software, for the simple reason they can’t “go broke.”
IMHO there are alternitives. Mozilla for windows is decent (sure, it needs some work, but what do you expect when microsoft invents non standered HTML ags…), Gobe Productive 3 will bhe a nice alternitive to Office (it does lack a few features i’d like to see), Quicken is an alternitive to Money. AIM, ICQ, Jabber, adn the yahoo messanger are alternitives to microsoft’s IM programs. There are alternitives to MSN. Should I go on, I will if you want.
So, it let’s the user decied what product is best for them easier.
I will say, before any of you reply to my previous post, that’s i’m not completly satasfied with the settelment. It will help some, but not much. It doesn’t seem like it will have much of a direct impact for the alternitive OS market…
It talks about preventing middleware predatory practices, and making API’s more transparent.
Will it however stop any predatory practice that would prevent alternative OSes from replicating the functionality of MS operating systems. What about MS Middlware that says stuff to the effect of “this program may only be run on MS operating systems” (e.g. IE 5.0 etc)
So much for anonymous – My IP adress gives it away
>>>It will help pepole realize that there is an alternite
>>>to say, microsoft office, installed on their computer.
Sure, I use Wordperfect myself!
Back when I picked up my first computer (’96\97)
I’d already gotten used to the Wordperfect key shortcuts
and I didn’t want to have to relearn tooo much when I switched.
(The one I was familiar with at the time was ye Olde Dos version)
and was determined to pick up the latest version of WordPerfect–
Guess what? I can’t exchange docs worth a damn with anyone else!
The various conversions ALWAYS screw up my doc when shared with
another non-WordPerfect user!
>>>So, it let’s the user decied what product is best for them easier.
I wish, but most likely most people will be stuck opting for conformity.
BTW: Anonymous: you wrote:
>>>It talks about preventing middleware predatory practices…
Here’s an answer for you, one of the suggestions are for an
icon that allows selective removal of parts of the Os..Heh–
EVEN WITH A SETTLEMENT Micro$oft MANAGES TO PULL A FAST ONE!!
Can anyone say “Microshaft’s answer to 98lite?
…