IBM Wins $850M Settlement From Microsoft

First Coast News ^ | 7/1/05 | AP

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

It's really a bite sometimes to find an AP story on a site which can be posted here.

[Publius6961]

It warms the cockles of my heart to know that all these awards against Microshaft for business misbehaviors are continued to be paid by me and millions of other software purchasers and legitimate software users.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

And hardware.

[ShadowAce]

[kezekiel]

It warms the cockles of my heart to know that all these awards against Microshaft for business misbehaviors are continued to be paid by me and millions of other software purchasers and legitimate software users.

Something you might want to consider the next time you put together a PO with Microsoft's name on it. Your choice, my friend.

[D-fendr]

We're entering what I think is the final stage of this process.

Maybe this round, but this is the Microsoft way of competing.

[calex59]

It warms the cockles of my heart to know that all these awards against Microshaft for business misbehaviors are continued to be paid by me and millions of other software purchasers and legitimate software users.

Well, since MS makes most of its money selling software the only money it can use to pay these debts to others they have stuck it to is the money they make selling software. What do you think they should do, print their own? Maybe they can start a side business doing something else and use that money to pay for their criminal acts, would that be better?

[Golden Eagle]

Good. Everyone who's violated anyone's rights or property in the IT industry needs to pay up. The sooner the better.

[Question_Assumptions]

Maybe this round, but this is the Microsoft way of competing.

Which is exactly what I don't like about them. Why can't Microsoft complete on the merits of their products and prices rather than strong-arm tactics. No, Microsoft isn't technically a monopoly but those are exactly the sorts of tactics that make a monopoly a bad thing for consumers.

[longtermmemmory]

no mention of the monopoly declaration?

I wonder if the government will try and take the settlement money because it is "punishment" and would serve society to have the government control the distribution of monies for punishment. (/sarcasm off)

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Is that the fault of Microsoft or the fault of the user?

[Question_Assumptions]

Is that the fault of Microsoft or the fault of the user?

Is what the fault of Microsoft or the user?

[Bush2000]

Which is exactly what I don't like about them. Why can't Microsoft complete on the merits of their products and prices rather than strong-arm tactics. No, Microsoft isn't technically a monopoly but those are exactly the sorts of tactics that make a monopoly a bad thing for consumers.

You do realize that this settlement covers behavior from a decade ago, right?

[antiRepublicrat]

Good. Everyone who's violated anyone's rights or property in the IT industry needs to pay up. The sooner the better.

Are you trying to edge SCO's wholly unproven claims into this discussion?

[txhurl]

I wonder how much gross sales IBM would need to generate 850mill in profit.

[Question_Assumptions]

You do realize that this settlement covers behavior from a decade ago, right?

Of course. And? In some regards, the damage has already been done. In other regards, I'm not entirely conviced that Microsoft still doesn't have an anticompetative attitude. Please note that I do think that Microsoft could compete in several areas based on quality and price but they won't. For example, I have no doubt that MS Office for Linux would sell just as well as the Mac version of Office does, if not better.

[Bush2000]

And the irony of this story is that IBM turned around and sold its PC hardware business to the Chinese ...

[Bush2000]

Of course. And?

Your comments would lead the average reader to conclude that you think this behavior is ongoing:

"Why can't Microsoft complete on the merits of their products and prices rather than strong-arm tactics."

So, I ask you: What strong-arm tactics is Microsoft currently using?

[Bush2000]

Please note that I do think that Microsoft could compete in several areas based on quality and price but they won't. For example, I have no doubt that MS Office for Linux would sell just as well as the Mac version of Office does, if not better.

Uhhhhhhhh ... there is no market for MS Office for Linux. Dog, chase tail.

[Golden Eagle]

Are you saying IBM should get a free pass if they illegally used Unix code in Linux? Should anybody, if they did?