[Reformatted] state governors want to design OSes now..

[Anonymous]

hakkin at sarin.com (Khoder bin Hakkin) writes:

> [ If I were Bill G. I'd double the price of an OS sold to one of these
> States. Since I'm not, but still resent these States, I hope they get
> all the Windows OS they deserve. ]

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011205/tc/microsoft_settlement_dc_1.ht
ml

> States May Ask for Unbundled Version of Windows
>
> By Peter Kaplan
>
> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - State attorneys general pressing the antitrust
> case against Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) may ask a judge to
> order the company to offer a cheaper, stripped-down version of its
> Windows operating system, a source familiar with the case said on
> Wednesday.
>
> The nine states still suing Microsoft are eying the requirement as
> part of a proposed antitrust remedy they are scheduled to submit to
> U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on Friday.
>
> Requiring an ``unbundled'' version of Windows is one of several ideas
> the states are considering as they try to come up with sanctions that
> will be tougher than those agreed to by Microsoft, the U.S. Justice
> Department (news - web sites) and nine of the other states who have
> signed on to a settlement of the case.
>
> The draft remedy also would strike down a long list of loopholes in
> the current settlement deal and do more to ensure that Microsoft
> discloses key source code in Windows to other software makers, the
> source said.
>
> The draft also contains a provision that would require Microsoft to
> include Sun Microsystems Inc.'s (Nasdaq:SUNW - news) Java programming
> language in its new Windows XP (news - web sites) operating system
> and ensure that its Office software is compatible with other software
> platforms, the source said.
>
> Microsoft had included Java in its operating system for years but
> dropped it from Windows XP because of legal problems with Sun
> Microsystems.
>
> Lawyers representing the hold-out states held meetings today with
> antitrust experts and industry officials to get feedback on a draft
> remedy proposal, sources said.
>
> 'GETTING AN EARFUL'
>
> ``They're getting input from lots of different players, and they're
> getting an earful,'' the source said.
>
> The hold-out states are California, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa,
> Florida, Kansas, Minnesota, West Virginia and Utah.
>
> Representatives of those states declined to comment on what kind of
> remedy they will propose.
>
> In addition, the draft remedy proposal would require Kollar-Kotelly to
> appoint a ``special master'' to oversee the remedy, according to the
> same source.
>
> Under the current settlement, that task would go to a three-person
> technical committee.
>
> ``I think they're seriously committed to getting an effective
> remedy,'' said another source who has met with the attorneys general
> lawyers.
>
> The hold-out states will present their remedy proposal as an
> alternative to the settlement reached by the Justice Department.
>
> In the settlement, Microsoft has agreed to take steps to give computer
> makers more freedom to feature rival software on their machines. The
> deal also requires the company to share parts of the inner workings of
> its Windows operating system with other software makers.
>
> The settlement would be enforced by a three-person technical committee
> and would stay in effect for at least five years.
>
> The department says the existing settlement terms are strong enough to
> stop the company's monopolistic practices and would provide ``the most
> effective and certain relief in the most timely manner.''
>
> ABUSED MONOPOLY
>
> A federal appeals court ordered the remedy hearings in a June 28
> ruling, having concluded that the company abused its monopoly in
> personal computer operating systems.
>
> Continuing to litigate could drag the case out for another two years,
> the department says.
>
> But Microsoft rivals and some consumer groups have panned the deal as
> weak and ineffectual. They say the agreement will not stop Microsoft
> from retaliating against personal computer makers that promote
> non-Microsoft software.
>
> Critics also worry the settlement does not ensure that Microsoft will
> allow a level playing field for other companies' add-on ``middleware''
> products; and does not ensure that Windows will work well with
> computer servers running non-Microsoft software.
>
> Kollar-Kotelly has scheduled a hearing for March to determine what--if
> any--further--sanctions should be imposed against the company.
>
> Microsoft spokesman Jim Desler declined to comment specifically on
> what might be in the remedy proposal on Friday. But he said the
> settlement ``represents a fair and reasonable compromise'' and that
> the case had been ``drastically narrowed'' by the appeals court since
> the original ruling against the company last year.