Posted on 03/04/2002 11:14:46 PM PST by kattracks
WASHINGTON, Mar 05, 2002 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- Microsoft Corp.'s chief executive and the top executive involved with its Windows operating system are sticking with a position the company has held since the outset of the four-year antitrust case: They cannot pull the Internet Explorer Web browser out of Windows.
Nine states suing Microsoft for antitrust violations want to force the company to offer a version of Windows without the browser and other added features.
That would allow computer makers to install competitors' products, if they chose, without taking on the added cost of supporting both products. Currently, Microsoft's ubiquitous Windows has a leg up on competitors vying for the hearts of consumers and software designers.
In a videotaped deposition released Monday, Microsoft vice president and Windows chief Jim Allchin said Microsoft has "no way" to remove the browser from the company's flagship operating system.
"I couldn't do what you've got here," said Allchin, suffering from a severe cold. "Forget about any business thing. Technically I just couldn't do it."
Allchin said the company has done no studies to see if it could be done.
He referred to an especially embarrassing part of Microsoft's case, in which the company showed a videotape to make the argument that Windows would be damaged if a user attempted to remove the Internet Explorer Web browser. Microsoft later admitted the demonstration computer was rigged.
"Do you have any expectation as to whether or not you will be putting together a similar demonstration for this part of the case?" state lawyers asked.
"Not exactly like that one," Allchin said.
Steve Ballmer, a college friend of company founder Bill Gates and current chief executive officer, said Microsoft would be forced to offer an infinite number of Windows versions under the states' demands, all with or without extra features.
Ballmer said if the states should prevail with their demands, the decision would serve the interests of neither computer manufacturers nor users.
Instead, Ballmer said companies like Sun Microsystems, whose relationship with Microsoft is notoriously prickly, would dedicate themselves to frustrating Microsoft engineers.
"Sun Microsystems (can) go buy 10,000 copies, and they can have people just sit there and generate work requests to us every minute of every day," Ballmer said. "Somebody could say, 'Look, I want to make Microsoft's life miserable; so I'll tell you what, I'll pay you $10 million a year to torture Microsoft."'
The nine states revised their proposed penalties Monday. The new version reflects many complaints leveled by Ballmer and other executives.
For example, Microsoft would have to offer only one stripped-down version of Windows instead of many different ones.
Ballmer complained that it would be too expensive to build a version of the Java programming language to package with Windows, as requested by the states. The states clarified that Microsoft wouldn't have to bear those costs.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said the modifications "clarify and sharpen our proposed remedies, without weakening them."
"The modified measures should deflate Microsoft's overblown rhetoric and apocalyptic predictions about the proposed remedies," Blumenthal said.
Brad Smith, Microsoft's general counsel, would not comment on the changes.
"It appears to be a number of changes made very late," Smith said. The company is still reviewing the document, he said.
Allchin admitted to lawyers for the states that Microsoft violated the law but refused to specify the violations.
"I don't think that I can summarize those," Allchin said. "I'm not an attorney."
The company faces several allegations of violations that involve infringing on consumer choice and unfairly hurting competitors.
The states' lawyers, Stephen Houck and Mark Breckler, asked if it would be important for the head Windows executive to know what the violations were, so they wouldn't be repeated.
"Well, it's a very complicated area," Allchin said. "Very complicated,"
---
On the Net: Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com
Connecticut Attorney General: http://www.cslib.org/attygenl/
By D. IAN HOPPER AP Technology Writer
Copyright 2002 Associated Press, All rights reserved
I had a problem creep up in my IE 6.0 browser on XP Professional, which required I uninstall and re-install IE 6.0 to correct. So to say that the browser can't be removed from the OS may not be entirely correct.
Granted, I did not do an inventory of executables and runtime dll's to see if IE was totally removed, but it was unregistered from add/remove programs and off the menu's and taskbar.
Windows common Setup program is embedded in IE, so some components of IE may need to stay permanently resident, but I don't think the entire Browser needs to be there.
Hmm...maybe that can be today's homework. I was looking for something to do with my last vacation day....
XP can be installed and "activated" without an internet connection. IE is a separate executable from Explorer. The internet connection is separate from both, being a descendent of NT Remote Access.
I think what Microsoft did was make IE required to install Office components, but these are applications, not part of Windows.
I have two conflicting thoughts -- first that MS is full of BS, and second, I don't think the government has any right under the constitution to tell inventors what they can sell and what they can't.
If Microsoft had developed Windows with government grants, or if there were some shortage of bits and bytes with which to develop code, I'd be sympathetic to the anti-trust thing. But with Apple shoing signs of competence and Linux chugging along, I refuse to accept the monopoly accusation.
Its important to me that there be an extremely low baseline and that so many companies have been attacked by Code Red and Nimda. It just makes my work look even better.
If they did this what you would be left with is essentially a desktop, menu and file system. Not that this would not be workable, but I doubt the average consumer would be able to install and properly configure all of the supporting software needed for file management, internet browsing, networking, disk tools etc.
I personally think this is exactly what MS should do. Offer Windows XP as a File System and desktop without any other support, let the consumers who want this go out and find the software to hook into windows through the existing API’s that does what they want. You would essentially have DOS 6.2 with a slicker desktop. It may solve their legal problems, and no one would buy it anyway.
Not seeing it doen't make it so.
Tires are required for root-function much like a video card or sound card (both of which I can replace like tires)
Seat covers are an option - if I buy GM's I can later toss them and use PEP-BOY'S and my car will still run.
Car makers offer several different colors of paint. Picking a shade is the only real issue. Even then, Maaco can mix up whatever color I want.
The root-function of the car is not effected.
Bingo!!
I just bought an XP computer and loaded Netscape 6.2 immediately. I use it "almost" exclusively but I've found that some web sites won't accept Netscape 6.2. For instance, one radio station that I listen to in the afternoon. It just will not respond to 6.2, so I use IE for it.
The new version recommends at least a 4GHz processor and 2 GB of RAM and 200 GB of disk space. Although the minimum processor is 2 GHz and 1 GB of RAM and 120 GB of disk space, the extra is needed to take advantage of the many new productivity enhancements added to the new version of Windows. It should also be noted that the faster computer is required to make the operating system seem to be running as fast as the Windows YP...
Bill Gates CEO has said "This is the first operating system that delivers what everybody wants!"...For Hollywood and the laws passed by Congress in 2002, Microsoft has finally managed to prevent unathorized copying of files. To make MP3s from audio DVD's you must scan in a written authorization letter from the artist and recording company which will be validated via the Internet. In all other circumstances copying or reformatting data is prohibited at the operation system and hardware level...
The installation media is a set of 3 DVD's. Microsoft will allow users to trade in the DVD's for a set of 30 CD's for a nominal fee...
How many people buy computers without expecting to get on the internet?
There is a new version 3.4.1 of a beautiful little free application (26kB to download) called XPAntiSpy3-English.zip designed to disable all the XP-"ET call home" features in one click. The creators of that program list 27(!!!) different ways XP contacts Redmond and they say it takes about a half an hour to walk thru Windows XP to manually turn off all those convenient "automatic" features, provided you know exactly what they are.
Yes, but since it COMES with the paint, you have no immediate incentive to go buy an unrelated paint-job along with your automobile purchase...at least very few people do. Do you have the option of receiving your car unpainted, or a Jag from the local Jag Dealer with ONLY Ford paint on it?
It is these two make MS marketing practices illegal. I do think they exist. Software doesn't fit as well as steel or oil under anti-Trust laws, but I still think it's a fit.
BTW: Under MS's plans, would corporate (and home) users be able to install and run XP without regular, and automatic, re-authentication and updating over the Internet?
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