States Want More Time to Mull Microsoft Settlement

SirFozzie writes: "Apparently, the Attorney Generals of states represented in the DoJ investigation are resisting an attempt to railroad a settlement in the anti-trust case. They're not going to blindly accept the settlement. Good for them. Here's the story."

economy

[b-side.org]

one thing that really bothers me about this is that people keep letting M$'s line of crap about how important they are to the economy influence decisions. if they sell more goods by destroying competition then, even if they employ more people in the short run, they're destroying the economy (which, being capitalist, is based on competition) over the long haul.

Re:economy

[manyoso]

Yah, it really bothers me to. It's just endemic of the dumbed down america. It comes from the same mentality that allows anyone with an agenda to invoke the word "terrorism" or "patriotism" to sell there ideas. Really pathetic if you ask me. If this case is really so important to the national economy (a point I do not dispute) then it would seem it is in all of our interests to get it right instead of just sweeping it under the carpet and acting like it doesn't exist.

Microsoft, "How shall we hoodwink the huddled masses today?"

Re:economy

[deepfoo]

Actally I agree. The weird thing is they don't directly employ many people (they are efficient, give them that). Moreover the number of developers dependent (hmmm, doesn't that imply monopoly?) on Microsoft is roughly the same as the number of Java developers out there.

Of course this whole argument is bollocks since we aren't asking them to go away, just let others compete. So, in fact no degree of reasonable enforcement of the law would have an impact, would it, on folks cranking out software?


Clearly Microsoft threatend something, likely protracted litigation, but we will never know why the DOJ bent over and took it up the bum. And of course by that I mean they let all of us get reamed by the Beast. Not even a spot of lubricant.

Re:economy

[Bobzibub]

I don't think MS had to offer the DOJ anything at all. When mr. Ashcroft announced the settlement, he looked so dis-interested in the whole affair and sounded like he was reading the teleprompter. And one can imagine why: One file is all this terrorism business, and this file which involves endless legal challenges and battling MS's effective PR and spin. Not only is there little political upside, it is obviously boring for him. On top of this, the downside is that a continued court case could be construed by MS & friends to be distracting the DOJ from more pressing priorities like fighting terrorism. Not to mention that MS is on the NASDAQ Index and futureMScompetitor Inc is not. They want to help the economy don't they? (yeah, I know.)

So the DOJ caved and MS walked. Big deal. There are stil the States and the European Union. We (well, *I*) should watch less news and code more anyway.

How come

[Cryogenes]

that MS gets months every time they have to prepare a statement but the states are now asked to make their most important decision in just a couple of days?

Re:How come

[Black Parrot]

> that MS gets months every time they have to prepare a statement but the states are now asked to make their most important decision in just a couple of days?

Sounds like we got stuck with a judge that thinks "resolution" is more important that "solution".

Microsoft wins again. Stay tuned for the next round in five years ... assuming there's any competition left for the states to care about in five years.

Re:How come

[hearingaid]

because they're not being asked by the court.

note the headline: states ask for more time. they'll prolly get it.

they only asked for 4 days to a week, because they don't want to slow down the litigation process, unlike M$

Contact the DoJ via Email

[Kaya]

In addition to contacting your state's Attorney General, I recommend sharing your thoughts directly with the DoJ's Antitrust Division:

From http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/contact/emails.htm:

If your comments relate specifically to the Antitrust Division's suit against Microsoft Corporation, please direct your correspondence to [e-mail]

Impress them with your eloquence. That's how democracy works.

It certainly seems to me...

[PhilHibbs]

from a quick look at the settlement that the DoJ is basically saying "You know all those laws you broke? Um... please stop breaking them."