Judge may have to force open Windows
Posted by Unknown on 05 July 2003 - 18:10 · 31 comments & 457 views
The US government "remains concerned" that Microsoft is making it difficult for rivals to access Windows despite being ordered to open up its software to competitors last year. In a report presented to US district judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who presided over the settlement of the long-running Microsoft case, the US government says the court may have to force Microsoft to account for the delay in opening itself up.

The news came as speculation mounted that Microsoft is considering paying a special dividend worth $10bn (£6bn) either as a one-off or spread over successive quarters. The company refused to comment.

News source: guardian.co.uk

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There are 31 additional comments
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(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #1 Posted by EnIgMa-PenGuIn on 05 Jul 2003 - 18:41
hahah yeah like that'll happen
Quote this comment #1.1 Posted by Mr. Black on 06 Jul 2003 - 17:02
You have to admit it would be nice, although yes improbable...
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #2 Posted by kyro on 05 Jul 2003 - 19:19
k
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #3 Posted by keith101 on 05 Jul 2003 - 19:20
$10bn to microsoft ... they are thinking abt it..

that works out to $10,000,000,000 ... thats a lot of dosh and they are thinking abt it?

tbh, thats fk all compared to what they earn so they will take the easy route and get their problems out their way with this back hander if they are allowed that is..
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #4 Posted by Mr. Black on 05 Jul 2003 - 20:53
LOL - Microsoft opening up Windows is about as hard as trying to open up a 30yo Virgin...
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #5 Posted by Joshie on 05 Jul 2003 - 22:09
In all seriousness: if MS opened the code, what would people do with it? I mean, where would they begin? It'd be overwhelming.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #6 Posted by FuhrerDarqueSyde on 05 Jul 2003 - 23:04
I can see hackers and such looking for exploits galore, people best make fixes fast and release them to some central database(because if 3rd parties are making the patch, windows update will be obsolete).
(3 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #7 Posted by Scorbing on 06 Jul 2003 - 00:14
If they are forced to open Windows, which I don't think will happen, than that would be the end of MS. I think the US government is going too far with this. They need to leave MS alone and let consumers choose what they want.
Quote this comment #7.1 Posted by syndicate on 06 Jul 2003 - 16:26
Most retarded statement ever.

If it were that simple, there'd be no trial, there'd be no conviction, and there would have been no settlement. Consumers can't 'just choose' what they want, because it's much deeper. I suggest you read the rulings from Judge Jackson, and Kotar-Kelley.

Until then, never post about this subject again.
Quote this comment #7.2 Posted by Avenger on 06 Jul 2003 - 19:37
Judge Jackson? Please, he was biased towards Microsoft from the start of the trial. Glad MS finally seems to have a competent judge in charge now. Instead of that fool Jackson.
Quote this comment #7.3 Posted by gameguy on 07 Jul 2003 - 14:34
i agree. at least 80% of windows users don't care about the source code of any program they use, including the os. hell, probably 60% don't even know what source code is. i think the consumer should just decide for themselves which they like better and buy it.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #8 Posted by ramesees on 06 Jul 2003 - 01:40
MS should buy their own island and move all their dealings there, declare their own laws etc....

That might get around these court cases
(4 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #9 Posted by Smoo on 06 Jul 2003 - 02:03
My Girl was laughing for about five minutes about the heading to this news article

Read the heading as if you have never heard of microsoft windows
Quote this comment #9.1 Posted by nullie on 06 Jul 2003 - 03:09
.....
Quote this comment #9.2 Posted by JaggedFlame on 06 Jul 2003 - 05:10
lol, pretty clever.
Quote this comment #9.3 Posted by mr_da3m0n on 06 Jul 2003 - 06:17
LOL!
It took me like, five seconds, I was trying to turn off Geek Mode ;P
Quote this comment #9.4 Posted by Tobbe on 06 Jul 2003 - 12:26
Your geek flag is stuck at 1?
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #10 Posted by DOGglee on 06 Jul 2003 - 02:28
the US government is ... lame?
Quote this comment #10.1 Posted by Knight' on 06 Jul 2003 - 10:25
umm why?
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #11 Posted by Angel Blue01 on 06 Jul 2003 - 12:24
Maybe this (if it happens) will finally lead to a Mozilla based Windows shell!
(3 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #12 Posted by Neobond on 06 Jul 2003 - 14:41
So basically Capatilism teaches me (the consumer) that: If you are successful your competition will attempt to punish and destroy you for being too successful and exactly what most consumers want.

hmm.. :/
Quote this comment #12.1 Posted by syndicate on 06 Jul 2003 - 16:28
Yup, that is the entire lesson. Get a clue.
Quote this comment #12.2 Posted by Avenger on 06 Jul 2003 - 19:45
Sounds about right to me. I can picture Scott McNealy and Larry Ellison crying in their beer over Microsoft ruining them.....blah blah blah....cry me a river for those poor companies (Sun & Oracle). They can't compete in the market place so they want to compete in the courtroom, exactly.
Quote this comment #12.3 Posted by gameguy on 07 Jul 2003 - 14:37
yeah, that's about it. sucks, don't it?
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #13 Posted by zerolimit on 06 Jul 2003 - 16:54
I dont think microsoft should open up. Its gay so if they get microsoft everyone should open up? OPEN SOURCE for everything and everyone? right? so all software will be free that is not supose to be. If Microsoft does open up its the end of microsoft. I dont think they should force them to show code its gay! thats going way to far!!!!!
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #14 Posted by ceminess on 06 Jul 2003 - 23:27
yeah the judge is going too far to say that microsoft should give out their source (if that is what open up means)

could you imagin the hackers and pirates, with the source, if they release it to "just" competitors, it is going to get into warez and everything will be nuts,
if this happens, imo i think it will be the end of microsoft
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #15 Posted by ripgut on 07 Jul 2003 - 00:28
isnt this a free country to where u can run ur company how u want it ......at least to some degree?
Quote this comment #15.1 Posted by roadwarrior on 07 Jul 2003 - 01:02
Yes, it is, until such time as you are convicted of committing a crime and agree to do some form of restitution. Then if you do not do what you agreed to, you are in contempt of court, which makes you guilty of ANOTHER crime.

(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #16 Posted by PacificAk on 07 Jul 2003 - 04:31
guys... you all r getting it all worng...

this is not about MS opening their code to every tom, dick & harry out there who can run his fingers on the keyboard very fast...

its about MS opening their code to its competitors at a price... & MS is cahrging pretty steep so that even Sun & Oracale r findng it costly.. so they r crying foul..!!
Quote this comment #16.1 Posted by gameguy on 07 Jul 2003 - 14:44
so true, most of you people are getting it all wrong. but still, i don't think they should be forced to release code for their product because their product is more popular. that's just a stupid way of doing business. "here, we created this wonderful product that everyone loves, now some people aren't happy so we're going to show you all how to do it and profit from our ideas." HELL NO. if i ever run a business there's no way you're going to get me to do something like this. as much as i love this country, the government (and the people) can be a pain in the ass sometimes. if i were microsoft, i would have moved to canada by now.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #17 Posted by Jasco on 07 Jul 2003 - 10:30
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