[EMAIL PROTECTED] (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.