Billwatch Snippets Database – Part III
Snippet: | You can find the full testimony at: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/trial/mswitness/kempin/kempin_full.htm If you want to define a peck-order at Microsoft, I guess Kempin would rank just after Maritz. |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-02-24 10:28:36 |
Snippet: | Despite news articles that Dell has broken the ranks to support Linux, nothing much seems to have changed at Microsoft’s top cheerleader among hardware vendors. Linux support still doesn’t go further than pre-installing Linux for large orders of server machines at a price that is higher than a Windows NT license (Could NT be included?) To consumers that either want no Windows Here is a discussion of a recent attempt to get a refund from Dell: http://lists.essential.org/am-info/msg01700.html I |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-02-24 11:05:22 |
Snippet: | This article summarizes the efforts of Microsoft’s defense team to date and examines some alternate strategies that might have proven more fruitful. “Microsoft’s lawyers also |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-24 17:35:26 |
Snippet: | Gates thanks Compaq witness for help over trial http://www.theregister.co.uk/990224-000023.html Compaq testimony points to murky secrets of MS relationship |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-24 19:43:43 |
Snippet: | …you can try: http://www.newslinx.com/newstopics/reno_vs_gates.html
No frills, just links. And they are maintained on a daily (hourly?) basis. (Link courtesy of Rick Fane.) |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-02-25 00:29:52 |
Snippet: | On the basis of the information that has come out in the open, Graham Lea has reconstructed the recent development of the Microsoft-Compaq relationship. |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-02-25 00:55:30 |
Snippet: | The Microsoft Java debacle, where Microsoft licenses Sun’s Java and then tries to sieze control of it, is already well-known. The testimony today of Microsoft executive in charge of DirectX multimedia technologies Eric Engstrom brings up the topic of how similar the situation with Apple QuickTime is. Microsoft initially acquired their multi-media playback techonology through Intel, which acquired it from a contractor who did work on Apple’s QuickTime technology. Once Microsoft got a hold of their competitor’s technology, they proceed to develop their own incompatible version of it. In Engstrom’s testimony, he denies telling Apple that A report on the testimony can be found here: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/bs/story.html?s=v/nm/19990224/bs/microsoft_2.html |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-02-25 06:57:44 |
Snippet: | Business Week Online- “In the afternoon session, Eric Engstrom refused to be intimidated, but that came after another shaky morning for Daniel Rosen” |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-25 07:25:09 |
Snippet: | Sm@rt Reseller By Mary Jo Foley, “One of the stronger witnesses MS has sent to testify holds his ground.” |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-25 07:26:20 |
Snippet: | Inter@ctive Week By Will Rodger, Shows videos to demonstrate PC makers were free to use non-MS browsers and ISPs. ‘But Boies zeroed in on what computer makers “cannot do.” When |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-25 07:28:13 |
Snippet: | ABC News - “The main lesson to be learned is that the trade names that are important to Microsoft and others have been recognized as valuable and cannot be taken and misappropriated by others” |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-25 07:29:53 |
Snippet: | ProComp brought together some familiar quotes in “Joachim Kempin – The Enforcer”: http://www.procompetition.org/xp/p-headlines/i-current/a-919880696/p_article.view |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-02-25 12:08:36 |
Snippet: | the Register “A Microsoft demonstration of how easy it is for OEMs to customise the Windows desktop shown yesterday was in breach of Microsoft’s OEM licensing agreements. Or at least, it was if the OEM isn’t one of a handful of top PC manufacturers.” the Register – How MS tried to keep the lid on its OEM customers |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-25 16:19:48 |
Snippet: | the Register“A keynote speech by a senior executive at the Intel Developer Forum in Palm Springs this morning was received by delegates with hisses and boos.” |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-25 16:21:13 |
Snippet: | MercuryCenter “Engstrom’s courtroom appearance was unusual in two respects. First, he was not cross-examined by the government’s lead attorney, David Boies, who has handled the previous nine Microsoft witnesses. And second, Engstrom did not provide any e-mail to the government relating to the Apple allegations. He testified Tuesday that he routinely deletes his e-mail.” (This seems to be the only effective method for a Microsoft executive to retain his credibility.) Washington Post – Microsoft Officials Deny Sabotage |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-25 16:44:51 |
Snippet: | Computer Reseller News - “In a videotape preceding Kempin’s testimony, a Microsoft product manager demonstrated customization options available to several OEMs including Sony, Compaq and a fictional company created for the purposes of the demonstration.” . . “Boies went after the videotape from another angle, after getting Kempin to acknowledge that Microsoft had initially made a videotape to accompany his testimony last November, but that the company made a new videotape earlier this month.” “Boies Sm@rt Reseller – MS: OEMs can’t rewrite Windows Sm@rt Reseller – MS v. DOJ: What went wrong? |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-25 17:15:36 |
Snippet: | PCWorld ‘No matter how the “antitrust trial of the century” turns out, one verdict is already in: Consumers have lost.’ |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-25 17:38:20 |
Snippet: | ZDNET News By Charles Cooper An overview of the deposition of Microsoft senior vice president Bob Muglia who is expected to take the stand on Friday. Removing Browser Would “Butcher” Windows-Microsoft
a) They are much smarter than anyone else. There, now even I can see that it’s all right. Judge grills Microsoft exec Company set Windows price without regard to competition, exec says Vandals at the gates MS exec denies Java claims |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-26 06:55:42 |
Snippet: | The ruling phrase in Microsoft’s agreements with OEMs is “Do not modify…”.
See John Lettice’s analysis of the standard agreement in The Register: http://www.theregister.co.uk/990226-000001.html The Another interesting part of Mr. Maritz testimony is Anybody who has read Mr. Maritz During the trial, Microsoft has And yet, the —- Herman Lesson from this ironic story: change means something |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-02-26 14:58:54 |
Snippet: | Microsoft Witness Peppered With Questions From Judge NY Times By JOEL BRINKLEY “Why do you think integration made it a better product?” Jackson asked. His tone, normally amiable with questioning witnesses, was tinged with skepticism bordering on incredulity. Rosen takes lead as least credible MS witnessthe Register Trial Focuses On Document From Gateway Microsoft endgame looms Microsoft’s “Harpoon” Defense Microsoft Picks Prices Without Worry of Competition Company set Windows price without regard to competition, exec says Microsoft’s Kempin Sure Has a Way with Words Judge grills Microsoft executive |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-26 17:18:31 |
Snippet: | Louis Gass�e, CEO of Be Inc., who seems to become more critical of Microsoft’s practices as more becomes known, is putting Joachim Kempin’s explanations into the perspective of a competitor. His experience is that price and quality of an operating system cannot give OEMs sufficient incentive to provide it to users. Stories about Dell and IBM are to mollify critics, but they load only server, not PC’s. The brave OEM that dared to pre-install Be on its computer systems, didn’t dare to show this to those that start up the machine. It is part of the universally enforced “Windows Experience” that no other operating system may show up at any start-up screen. The best you can get is a separate boot sequence from a floppy with the help of a paper manual, even though this could easily be accomplished technically by adapting the boot sequence. See: http://www.be.com/aboutbe/benewsletter/volume_III/Issue8.html#Gassee |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-02-26 21:13:02 |
Snippet: | Final Witness in Microsoft Trial NPR News (Real Audio) Listen as NPR’s John McChesney talks with All Things Considered host Robert Siegel. Microsoft Rests in Antitrust Trial MS, Justice: “We”re Winning!? Judge shouts at Microsoft witness Microsoft trial recesses with defense in disarray Will Bill Gates testify after break? Time to run up the white flag for MS? If Microsoft loses, what next? With a Microsoft victory looking bleak, what’s ahead? |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-27 01:04:01 |
Snippet: | The Microsoft trial: An unwavering defense rests its case Seattle Times by James V. Grimaldi and Jay Greene U.S. Lawyer in Antitrust Case Has Steel-Trap Memory For Microsoft, Humbled May Not Mean Defeated For Microsoft, Humbled May Not Mean Defeated Judge loses his temper on last day before break “Did you want to Boies Microsoft trial judge loses patience Even If Microsoft Crashes, It May Not Get Burned |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-02-27 17:54:33 |
Snippet: | Time and again Microsoft has told that its java virtual machine is the fasted available. Usually, their reference is a PC Week article from April 1998. Rather telling about this article is that the author “consulted” with Microsoft to rewrite the test after it was initially broken by Microsoft’s JVM. Such a request was not made to Sun, even though a problem with Sun’s JVM to pass a test was indicated. It should baffle anyone who looks for The argument is invalid See JavaWorld article “The Volano Report”: http://www.javaworld.com/javaworld/jw-03-1999/jw-03-volanomark.html Correction: Oops, its PC Magazine that Microsoft refers to, not PC Week. It was the only the latter publication that was openly selective in who it consulted when they needed support for java. |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-02-28 20:01:21 |
Snippet: | Okay, its a bit after the fact, but you can find Robert Muglia’s testimony here: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/trial/mswitness/muglia/muglia.htm
Mr. For one fact, Mr. Muglia claims that Sun is The conflict with the statements On the other hand, Mr. Muglia claims that Sun is using its Mr. Muglia’s testimony is an |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-02-28 21:12:19 |
Snippet: | “Linux is a hype-rich topic at the moment in the marketplace. (..) The great majority of our customers are not considering Linux.” Ed Muth, Microsoft’s group product manager for Windows NT Microsoft’s Perhaps public statements such as Mr. This will be an interesting track to follow. The quote is from “Linux legions devoted to alternative”: http://cbs.marketwatch.com/archive/19990228/news/current/linux.htx?source=htx/http2_mw&dist=srch |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-01 01:57:07 |
Snippet: | Well, there are no http://freshmeat.net like menus for items at The Register yet, so I’ll just insert a batch of links here:
All articles were written by Graham Lea except where noted. |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-01 13:16:10 |
Snippet: | Time For Microsoft To Surrender? Sm@artResellerBy Connie Guglielmo, Will Rodger and Lisa M. Bowman Another review of the trial and a discussion of possible remedies. Hot Button: If I were Microsoft’s attorney Gov’t Clear Favorite in Microsoft Trial Interview: Neukom, Boies state their case All Is Not Dark for Microsoft Justice’s Remedy May Hurt Consumers Viewing Microsoft Through Different Windows Issue of Harm to Consumers a Key Question Microsoft, U.S. Have Everything to Settle For Vendors Complained About Microsoft’s Licenses Microsoft’s Last Stand Observers Taking Stock of Microsoft Trial Microsoft Trial Recesses With Defense In Disarray The Microsoft Mind-Set Fireworks at Microsoft Trial Before Spring Break Microsoft Trial Reaches a New Crossroads |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-03-01 17:20:19 |
Snippet: |
ZDNN has done an interview of
This is the “Microspin” on what by every other account has been a compelling set of evidence shown by the government. Neukom goes on to claim that “if any plausible benefit can be shown by integration of the Web browser with the operating system, the case goes away.” The trouble with that is Judge Jackson keeps asking “what is the benefit of integrating the Web browser with the operating system?” Neukom then says that
I agree with that as far as to say that The text of the interview can be found here. |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-03-02 06:09:03 |
Snippet: | Such is the title of an editorial by Tom Steinert-Threlkeld of Inter@ctive Week Online.
After Unfortunately for Microsoft, For Microsoft You can find the Inter@ctive Week Online editorial here: |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-02 22:33:48 |
Snippet: |
ZDNN’s John Dvorak posts a preview of Microsoft’s plans for the consumer version of the next generation of Windows: http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/comment/0,5859,2218828,00.html Noteable *Just |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-03-03 06:48:03 |
Snippet: | With the current trend of having trademarks give right to domainnames, I am somewhat surprised that the linux.com is worth much at all, as Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. Nevertheless, the domain was registered by an early kernel hacker in 1994 and sold – allegedly for over a million dollars – to the best known Linux OEM, VA Research. Rumors have it that other |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-03 20:48:32 |
Snippet: | ProComp published two articles with detailed criticism on the testimony of many of Microsoft’s witnesses. One contains issues on which the testimony failed, the other with issues on which the witnesses conceded points to the DoJ. A must read. See: “Microsoft defense falls flat”, http://www.procompetition.org/xp/p-headlines/i-current/a-920474547/p_article.view and “Microsoft concessions during cross-examination”, http://www.procompetition.org/xp/p-headlines/i-current/a-920474854/p_article.view |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-04 02:50:20 |
Snippet: | According to this article:
http://www.zdii.com/industry_list.asp?mode=news&doc_id=ZE304222&pic=Y despite |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-03-04 19:41:22 |
Snippet: | I certainly miss the Microsoft antitrust trial. You could usually count on it to provide a lot more laughs than anything in the comic section. Advocate Issues Windows Warning Those Nasty Little Lawsuits Microsoft-Bristol trial taking shape Senator to DOJ: Back Off Foes and Allies Say Microsoft Has Stumbled in Case Intel insight Group Endorses Microsoft Breakup Remedies in Microsoft case could shift balance of power Readers react to 49.7-day Windows glitch |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-03-04 22:56:54 |
Snippet: | For a few moments I thought that Paul Maritz had offered himself as kind of hostage when claiming that Linux was a threat to Microsoft. I say “hostage”, because Microsoft’s PR machine cannot make claims against Linux without at the same time undermining Maritz’ testimony and therewith decreasing the chance of a positive verdict in any of the courts the anti-trust trial goes through. I Mr. Muth claims that Linux is not viable because it Furthermore, Mr. Also, Talking As for Eh, Ed, any comments on the It would delight me to have Mr. Muth See: http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,1014079,00.html |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-05 11:20:53 |
Snippet: | At least since Windows95, Microsoft has used the Windows registration wizard to build up a global global personalia database. Every Word or Excel file produced on Windows is stamped with the unique identity number with which Microsoft can trace back the original author. If Microsoft goes through so much Wrong. New York Times article re-published by Mercury Center: CNet: LinuxToday editorial by Paul Ferris: |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-07 20:27:59 |
Snippet: | Eric Bennett wrote a thoughtful article on possible remedies for Microsoft’s monopolistic abuses. It was published at Boycott Microsoft (http://www.vcnet.com/bms/). See: http://www.vcnet.com/bms/features/remedies.shtml Personally, |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-08 01:45:47 |
Snippet: | Mr. Livingston who is one of the worlds leading experts on using Windows, columnist for Infoworld and author of the Windows Secrets series of books, is examining Microsoft’s claim that Internet Explorer can’t be removed from Windows 98. Naturally he refers to the Windows 98Lite site by Shane Brooks. In his column he lists some of the pros and cons of this project and invites his readers to try it and email their results. He also promises to print the official Microsoft response next week. That should be entertaining reading. I’ve toyed with the idea of trying Windows 98 Lite but http://www.infoworld.com/cgi-bin/displayNew.pl?/livingst/livingst.htm |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-03-08 20:23:26 |
Snippet: | Microsoft’s present behavior is analysed as the result of people actually believing what they say, even though it is false. In other words, Microsoft spokespersons and executives have lost contact with reality. This has happened because they have completely lost interest in reality. All that matters in Redmond nowadays is the stories they tell themselves. As was Such an illogical attitude is not See: http://www.salonmagazine.com/21st/feature/1999/03/cov_08feature.html |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-08 23:09:05 |
Snippet: |
In answer to an LA Times interview question “How do you view the Microsoft and Intel antitrust trials through the lens of your business?”, Dell CEO Michael Dell responds:
To The full article can be found here: |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-03-09 05:42:17 |
Snippet: | David Cardinal sent in the following links. They are not recent, but good reading, and, AFAIK, they haven’t appeared here before. “Network Effects and Microsoft” “Programs are Programs” “The Bad Faith of Microsoft” “Who is really running Microsoft?” – NC World – November 1997 |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-09 12:24:33 |
Snippet: | Microsoft is to buy a 15% share of Reciprocal, a company that manages rights for various media. This is to amount to $15 million. Apparently, Reciprocal couldn’t get much (Did |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-09 12:44:37 |
Snippet: | The issue of “market development funds”, now known from the OEM Windows “rebates”, is related to shelf space in retail. Also the issue of incompatible file formats is touched. (It doesn’t matter that you can work perfectly well with your wordprocessing software: you must buy a new version as other people send you documents “encrypted” with the new file format.) |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-09 13:09:31 |
Snippet: | A technical recommendation counts for little in Microsoft country. A Washington state educational organization cannot simply follow a recommendation to adopt UNIX and Oracle for their central data services. They owe favors to Microsoft. Considering products on the basis of price and quality has been cast aside by the educational board of directors. “We want to make sure Microsoft is considered. They have, after all, been very generous.” and “If Thus It is clear that despite the recommendation the choice has already been made in favor of Microsoft: Victor Given that Mr. Albino here re-iterates the See: http://www.seattletimes.com/news/local/html98/coll_19990308.html |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-09 22:58:00 |
Snippet: | The current Microsoft anti-trust trial has changed the way many people think of the company. Before, the perception was that Microsoft was a successful but ruthless competitor. The common wisdom is that the ruthlessness could be forgiven because their products were, after all, “good enough.” In the trial, Microsoft appears as an out-of-control monopolist which, at best, has no appreciation for the competitive consequences of its actions in the software marketplace. With the trial in recess and many people pondering possible remedies, now is a good time for some historical perspective. To that end, I have written up a summary of http://main.billwatch.net/background/ms_hist.html under the Billwatch “Background” section. |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-03-10 17:18:47 |
Snippet: | Dave Heiner is Senior Corporate Attorney, Microsoft Law and Corporate Affairs.
A memo from him to inform Microsoft employees on the status of the trial has been leaked. One Other touches of Mr. Otherwise If Microsoft doesn’t manage to shut up the |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-11 11:44:36 |
Snippet: | The joint venture is called Zoom and the partner is Hong Kong Telecom. Nothing much to say about it, but given Microsoft’s pattern of buying into cable companies I wanted to mention it. Microsoft’s strategy was explained – without being |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-12 10:54:24 |
Snippet: | Cringely is of the opinion that you could get fired for buying Microsoft.
The There’s no point in Why Linux is well known for requiring fewer resources and its current popularity should make it easy to get it in the front door. It’s the right product at the right time. See: I, Cringely |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-03-12 17:34:20 |
Snippet: |
Senator Slade Gorton goes to bat for The full Register article is at http://www.theregister.co.uk/990312-000018.html Also, The Microsoft Hall of Innovations gives an idea of just what an “engine of innovation” Microsoft is. |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-03-13 20:36:56 |
Snippet: | One rarely sees side-stepping from the ideological battles to see what actually happens in the world.
A Another characteristic of the Another ideological Aside from rejecting the laws of state, So much for Moral |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-14 16:34:45 |
Snippet: | Nice speculations on what will happen when the trial resumes.
See: http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2225035,00.html |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-14 17:11:51 |
Snippet: | The page’s background make the advice pretty much unreadable but it is still a good read: http://www.trufax.org/analysis/analysis.html An (Let me encourage you to read the next two pages too: http://www.trufax.org/analysis/analy2.html and http://www.trufax.org/analysis/analy3.html) |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-15 13:01:36 |
Snippet: | With the trial being in recess things are rather quiet, even at The Register.
Well, “MS reorg – Gates burnt out, so spin him off?” It |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-15 13:11:51 |
Snippet: | The article most discussed in other articles today is one describing how Microsoft is going to talk about the AOL/Netscape/Sun deal – none of which sells desktop operating systems – to show that the Windows monopoly offers no power for Microsoft to influence the result of it’s ambitions in other markets. A See: |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-16 00:03:18 |
Snippet: | Last summer Gates gave up the presidency of Microsoft in favor of Steve Ballmer. I wish I had the announcements somewhere that were telling the world that Gates would become a kind of “chief technologist”, totally focusing on, yes, innovation in product design. Since then, Gates hasn’t found Anyway, just after Maritz’s See: http://www.infoworld.com/cgi-bin/displayStory.pl?990315.enjapanlinux.htm |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-16 01:02:37 |
Snippet: | When asked about specific e-mails stressing that certain actions and strategies are “important” or of “first importance”, Bill Gates has often claimed that he didn’t know that he received the e-mail at all and when shown the text, he often claimed that he didn’t understand what key phrases meant and he had not acted upon this malunderstanding by asking for clarification. When critics focus on Microsoft’s strategic decisions by reading e-mails, Microsoft’s main defense is that these are “merely” e-mails, having no causal role in the decision making process. However, outside the Another great piece of advice is: “Convert every paper process to a digital process” (Can you imagine, a paperless office!) Surely Here is a link to a ZDNet article outlining the twelve |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-16 10:10:28 |
Snippet: |
This article from the New York Times News Service: Update: According to this account from The Register, |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-03-16 17:05:31 |
Snippet: | Symbian to KO Microsoft at CeBIT? the Register by Tero Kuittinen It seems that Microsoft is too late in arriving to the mobile communications party. This article makes a convincing argument that not even Microsoft’s astronomical resources can make them competitive in that market. Tipping the antitrust scales Gates May Contradict Trial in Book It’s very Advice to Gates: Break up Microsoft or quit Today’s Quiz |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-03-17 16:41:16 |
Snippet: | Although it might seem that Microsoft has received its share of criticism during the trial, I think that merely the top of the iceberg has shown up. Although the press (ruthlessly modified after initial posting) James |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-17 23:46:53 |
Snippet: | From the “Drudge Report”:
|
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-18 09:01:09 |
Snippet: | Earlier this year, Koreans had reason to be upset about the prime Korean word processor vendor being bought by Microsoft on the condition that they drop their popular Korean-language product. In the antitrust trial, Microsoft has Given that Koreans have on Thus If there was choice in the Korean PC FSC probing Microsoft dispute FTC begins probe into Microsoft’s alleged unfair trading practices; Campaign against software giant spreading among PC vendors |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-18 09:48:26 |
Snippet: | So far Microsoft has only ported its applications to the platform of its “partner” Apple.
Last Anyway, I consider it a Let’s make sure Microsoft gets the Word on Linux |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-18 18:09:50 |
Snippet: |
The trade press Did I hear “choice”? |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-03-19 07:32:10 |
Snippet: | For some time it seemed as if Microsoft was aiming at standards compliance: they cooperated on defining HTML 4.0, CSS, DOM, and XML. The faith in Microsoft’s sincerity was The It is one thing that W3C [False, should be "WSP"!] disappointed with IE 5.0 Update:Better check out the WSP press release instead of Newsbytes’ rehash referred to above: http://www.webstandards.org/ie5.txt |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-19 17:48:51 |
Snippet: |
This article Despite the recess of the anti-trust trial, all is not quiet on that front. This New York Daily News article Last year’s news of AOL buying out Netscape |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-03-19 21:56:32 |
Snippet: | Since Paul Maritz’s testimony in court that was to demonstrate the reality of Linux being a threat to the Windows monopoly, Microsoft executives such as Ed Muth and Bill Gates have publicly and repeatedly undermined Maritz’s claims. The Aside Learning to read Bill Gates |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-20 20:42:50 |
Snippet: | The “bug” that has been filling Microsoft’s databases with information on individuals through the Windows registration without asking for their consent hasn’t been received with much pleasure anywhere. TrustE isn’t all Junkbusters isn’t happy because they seem to have an interest in protecting privacy:
Junkbuster’s GUID news item Junkbusters: Microsoft and the GUID Junkbuster’s account of Microsoft’s past record (Reading The Register isn’t happy, or they wouldn’t mention a something as accusatory as:
MS threatened by Euro privacy probe And of course, Microsoft Dear valued customer Dear valued customer (updated version) Note |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-20 23:12:40 |
Snippet: |
According to this ZDNN article, |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-03-22 06:19:49 |
Snippet: | Brian Livingston has been looking into Windows 98 Lite which is a hybrid of Win95 and Win98 that provides most of the benefits of Windows 98 without using IE4. In the first of these three columns he invited users to try this experiment and report their results. Microsoft’s official response is the subject of the second column, nothing new here if you’ve been following the trial. The final column is his report of the feedback from users who have tried it. The bottom line is that Windows 98 Lite really is faster, leaner and more stable than Windows 98. So when Judge Jackson asks about how the Microsoft responds to the easy removal of IE from Windows 98 Readers report their results in removing IE from Windows 98 Here Wear clean underwear, because you never know when Microsoft is looking Got your number: Think you can beat Microsoft? You’d better think again Here’s a little excerpt from the current PC Week Spencer F. Katt column: |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-03-22 18:04:06 |
Snippet: | The Register’s Graham Lea writes up an excellent background on the current rumours that Microsoft seeks a settlement to the anti-trust case. This brings back memories of last year’s pretend pre-trial settlement negotiations where Microsoft abruptly walked out after having nothing substantial to offer but nonetheless blamed the DOJ for the breakdown in the talks. Here, Microsoft says they want to settle but has already placed the pre-condition that they have the right to add anything they want to Windows. If this really is a non-negotiable position as Microsoft says it is, any “settlement talks” are doomed to fail since Microsoft’s practice of adding features to its monopoly Windows operating system to disadvantage competitors is the core of the anti-trust case. As such, it is once again the “settlement talks” that never were. |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-03-23 16:18:50 |
Snippet: | In February news articles mentioned that two class-action lawsuits had been filed against Microsoft, one of which by a retired Californian engineer. As I found out today, the other was filed by Gravity, Inc., a company specializing in document management services. Here are the first two paragraphs from their press release:
The company’s website contains See: http://www.gravitynet.com/ |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-24 01:51:10 |
Snippet: | Charged with unfair monopolistic pricing by Korean retailers, Microsoft has answered that it uses the same price structure everywhere. This is a nice answer to the additional claim, but it doesn’t answer the demands of Korean retailers that the price of Windows isn’t made twice as expensive for retailers as it is for OEMs. As explained by Bill Gates in “The Road Just as I buy my computers from a small company that An additional claim of the Koreans is that Microsoft Massive ralley against Microsoft due today |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-24 02:14:39 |
Snippet: | TRUSTe is an organization that licenses websites fulfilling certain privacy criteria.
After a request from member Junkbusters, it investigated the GUID matter with regard to microsoft.com. The conclusion of the report states:
|
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-24 10:56:34 |
Snippet: | Bristol has published the list of expert and company witnesses that it will call to the stand in June when its antitrust trial against Microsoft will commence. Bristol Technology names witnesses in Microsoft antitrust case Additionally, Bristol seeks access to Caldera documents I |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-24 18:26:45 |
Snippet: | Hard work for me, fun for you. If you don’t want to wait until the fragments pop up at the top of this page, you can check out the following article on Gates’ keynote address at Microsoft’s Latin America Enterprise Solutions Conference ’99 in Miami. Split Up Microsoft? No Way, Says Gates Well, |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-24 18:54:41 |
Snippet: | Chosun Ilbo’s front page displays an image of a groups protesters against Microsoft’s high price for Windows: http://www.chosun.com/g__.html The text with the image is: More I’m impressed by this number of people that actually take the trouble to abandon their place of work to take to the streets. A description of the motivation behind the protest can be found here: http://www.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/199903/199903240374.html Meanwhile a crackdown on illegal software in Korea is announced: http://www.hk.co.kr/14_3/199903/t4351284.htm and http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/kh0325/m0325b13.html (All links were taken from an item at http://www.linuxtoday.com/) |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-25 03:20:10 |
Snippet: | In 1997, Microsoft reported that 1 million downloads of MSIE 4 occurred place within two days after its release.
See: http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,14887,00.html Reuters now reports: In See: http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,34245,00.html?st.ne.lh..ni ZDNet published the same article under the title “Microsoft (http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2231583,00.html |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-25 22:33:28 |
Snippet: | Remember how Gates was to give the MS presidency to Ballmer in order to be able to concentrate more completely on product development? Well, that was last summer. In New York Gates used the opportunity to produce another round of FUD on Linux.
Gates Downplays Linux Threat Let’s sum up what we find here:
|
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-26 13:52:44 |
Snippet: | MS planning shedloads of Windows NT variants http://www.theregister.co.uk/990326-000008.html by John Lettice MS-DoJ deal talks scheduled for Tuesday I very much appreciate the following fragment of the latter article:
|
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-26 14:35:26 |
Snippet: | Bill Parish is an independent tax consultant. He wrote a report on one aspect of financial reporting that influences profit reports.
Mr. Parish expects Microsoft to Microsoft’s stock is pushed up by its creative Mr. Parish proposes a number of remedies to prevent this anti-competitive effect of Microsoft’s accounting practices. Bill Parish Proposes MSFT DOJ Remedy to Robert Parry, Fed Governor. |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-26 21:51:07 |
Snippet: | American Dream late 1990′s style: get university funding to start up a company, make it moderately successful/promising, sell it lock-stock-and-barrel to Microsoft. In “The Road Ahead” Gates mentions Marc Andreessen to show how students can start up companies and become successful. In AFAIK, since Netscape no startup attained more than a modest success. I’d like to learn of any really successful startups. As for the Numinous Technologies buyout, see: http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,34327,00.html?st.ne.lh..ni |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-27 13:39:32 |
Snippet: |
Going into the reported talks http://seattletimes.com/news/local/html98/micx_19990328.html reports Update: According to this analysis from ZDNN, |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-03-29 01:44:11 |
Snippet: | Some two weeks ago ProComp published a status report on United States vs. Microsoft.
The I heartily recommend it as a way to get an overview of what Status Report: March 1999 |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-30 00:05:02 |
Snippet: | Pretty rough opinion piece:
"Practically "Microsoft and its allies will "I only hope the government Still, here's some unsolicited advice to the people Weasel wording is a Microsoft specialty. (..)" Best be very wary of Microsoft bearing settlement offer |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-30 19:37:12 |
Snippet: | Scott Rosenberg ain’t no friend of Bill and he sure isn’t getting any friendlier.
"If "But your eyes may glaze over as Gates delivers example "In his new book, Gates re-creates this Why Bill Gates still doesn’t get the Net |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-31 14:08:49 |
Snippet: | Gates promo tour cost to exceed book revenues http://www.theregister.co.uk/990330-000010.html Gates interviews – more rewrites of history from Bill States push for shackles on MS in settlement talks First MS-DoJ settlement talks fail to leak All articles by Graham Lea. |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-03-31 14:22:33 |
Snippet: | When the DoJ investigated the effects of a possible acquisition of Intuit by Microsoft, they subpoenaed other companies. Microsoft used the occasion to demand access to this information. Here are some fragments from “The Microsoft File” by Wendy Goldman-Rohm on that matter: [211] "After an extensive [213] History (PS For an impression of how Microsoft goes to court, a fragment from the book below the one just quoted: “The |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-01 00:38:08 |
Snippet: | Although Microsoft claims that the Caldera DR-DOS lawsuit is irrelevant because the lifetime of the technology expired, they are still keen on designating nearly every document in evidence on the matter as “confidential”. The primary benefit for Microsoft is that it can thus effectively force the trial behind closed doors as otherwise none of the evidence can be brought in. A press release from Caldera brings forward the overdesignation of confidentiality, a list of three news agencies interested in lifting the restrictions, a procedure to resolve the matter, an explanation of the effect of Microsoft’s monopoly on public statements wrt this part of its history, and a couple of cheesy quotes. The San Jose (..) The (..) Microsoft initially designated 99% of On two prior occasions, Caldera asked this Court to require Microsoft to stop misusing the Protective Order.2 (..) Microsoft See: http://www.calderathin.com/fullstory/NewsRelease_M26.html |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-01 12:20:02 |
Snippet: | See: http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB19990331S0015 |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-01 12:27:10 |
Snippet: | Boy, oh boy. Microsoft claims by mouth of Craig Beilinson, a Windows product manager, that businesses really shouldn’t haven fallen for Windows9X as they should have bought Windows NT (Oops, that translates to quite a sum for money as Windows9X is ubiquitous in business environments.) Furthermore, Microsoft’s Naturally, I don’t usually care to ComputerWorld: “EDS Y2K about-face raises Win 95 doubts” Update: |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-01 23:41:09 |
Snippet: | You want to hear music? Then you must pay for the exorbitantly high priced Windows operating system. This is the reasoning behind Microsoft’s new proprietary audio format and their sinking of boat loads of money into locking content exclusively into this format. See: http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2235469,00.html |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-02 00:09:32 |
Snippet: | The title says it all: “THE POWER OF OPENNESS – Why Citizens, Education, Government and Business Should Care About the Coming Revolution in Open Source Code Software” This Putting up my free software advocate’s hat I highly recommend it. |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-02 13:10:15 |
Snippet: | U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton demonstrates that he has got that Microsoft mindset. He has taken it upon himself to poke Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson with a pointed stick. Microsoft’s spokesman was uncharacteristically tactful in trying to distance the company from these comments. Gorton slams Microsoft trial judge during visit to Redmond campus |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-04-02 23:09:19 |
Snippet: | In court, vice-president Paul Maritz testified that he expected that cable companies were to play a determining role in what software is actually going to be distributed. Microsoft |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-03 21:37:43 |
Snippet: | After writing “Microsoft’s Holy War on Java” (http://www.news.com/SpecialFeatures/0,5,26707,00.html), CNET reporter Dan Goodin found himself subpoenaed by Microsoft.
Microsoft Microsoft subpoenas news reporter for secret documents Cnet Reporter Wins First Amendment Victory in Microsoft Dispute http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/04/01/BU81796.DTL |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-03 22:15:20 |
Snippet: |
Despite Microsoft’s many investments PointCast plight reveals Microsoft plans |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-04-05 17:13:10 |
Snippet: | This L. A. Times article sounds a bit anti-Microsoft at the start but then it seems to damn Linux and other open source projects with faint praise. There’s a lot of the usual FUD about Linux fragmenting because there isn’t a single benevolent authority to keep the troops from breaking ranks. The moral of the story seems to be that even the merest hint of competition will keep those honest and hardworking folks in Redmond working hard to make the world a better place for you and me. Well, it says ‘INNOVATION’ right above the title. Does that mean Charles Piller is on Bill’s payroll? |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-04-05 22:36:29 |
Snippet: | I got another kind note in which I was tactfully reminded of my lack of HTML hygiene.
Yes I’ve been told before, even though I can’t see them the occasional The fault is mine and The last I have a Linux box that I’ve been tinkering I’ll stop now |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-04-06 02:04:18 |
Snippet: |
One piece of FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-04-06 06:32:43 |
Snippet: | Did you really believe that Microsoft’s enthousiasm for restricting Internet access to users has anything to do with protecting children or preventing employees from being distracted by naughty pictures? Forget it. The attractiveness of this The strategy is exemplified in the following fragment of a MS BackOffice tutorial: Exercise 2: Control User Access to Internet Sites What You Will Learn In (The fragment comes from about halfway down the page.) Internet Access Fundamentals (BTW As I expect history to be rewritten, I have saved the page.) |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-06 23:54:40 |
Snippet: | Microsoft Diary: Microsoft and Me Fortune by Joseph Nocera Fortune The |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-04-07 16:52:33 |
Snippet: |
MS blames Sun for plan to de-emphasise Visual J Here, |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-04-07 17:49:08 |
Snippet: | Aside from a nice amount of money donated by Microsoft to the political party of the attorney general of South Carolina, Charlie Condon, Microsoft held up another carrot to this state: it was planning to locate a factory somewhere in the area and South Carolina might be it. Alas for South Carolina, merely extending the facilities in North Carolina sufficed for Microsoft. Naturally, an incentive isn’t necessarily a cause. But then, it could be. South Carolina not to get Microsoft plant |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-08 00:27:06 |
Snippet: | Salon BY JAMAIS CASCIO
This Melissa A worm virus epidemic It’s |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-04-08 01:08:04 |
Snippet: | Less than 48 hours ago, I reported that a Microsoft BackOffice tutorial explained how to configure denial of access to Internet sites through the example of www.netscape.com. A The relevant fragment from the new version is: Exercise 2: Control User Access to Internet Sites What You Will Learn In (Previously it didn’t refer to “www.denysite.com”, but to “www.netscape.com”.) Internet Access Fundamentals |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-08 11:53:48 |
Snippet: | No, they didn’t correct the phrase after someone in Redmond read this site. It originally came up at the “Appraising Microsoft” mailinglist (see bottom of: http://www.essential.org/antitrust/microsoft) and was taken up by the New York Times: What’s Funny at Microsoft? Blocking Netscape’s Web Site It Product Mr. Breunig also says that if sufficiently many |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-09 10:38:20 |
Snippet: | "By making the taking of depositions open to the media, Judge Jackson may find that he is reading about matters that have not yet been formally entered into evidence in his own court. This should in fact cause no problem, but it is likely to increase the stress on those giving depositions. Had media attendance been permitted when Gates was deposed, he might well have behaved in a somewhat more mature fashion and not bodged his evidence." MS judge releases ‘secret’ depositions |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-09 12:19:02 |
Snippet: | With a Name Like Smuckers What Microsoft Learned (and the Department of Justice Didn’t) From the Grocery Business by Robert X. Cringely
In He also mentions the familiar upgrade treadmill |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-04-09 18:49:12 |
Snippet: | Mary Jo Foley lays down a part of the messy and ever changing upgrade path for Windows98.
Remember Win98 SE: How not to market a product It Muth just repeats the customary There is no market Given the media hoopla on "We have absolutely no initiatives in this space to announce." Case closed. Microsoft to open source? Not likely |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-10 13:39:15 |
Snippet: | During the past couple of months Microsoft spokespersons and newscasters closely related to Microsoft have launched a FUD attack on Linux. Now the second echelon of Microsoft troops is descending on the Linux community: the lawyers. Whereas Here is the message from linux.de in full: LINUX.DE muss Linux-Slogan entfernen Wir wurden k�rzlich von einer bekannten Firma [link to http://www.microsoft.de/] Wie die Rechtslage bei dieser �hnlichkeit http://www.linux.de/news/?day=9&month=4&year=1999 Update: Karsten M. Self wrote to the forum at http://www.linuxtoday.com/ on this issue: A search of the US Patent and Trademark Office site (http://www.uspto.gov/) (search: http://trademarks.uspto.gov/access/search-adv.html), So Update 2: I found the following message from the same forum thread as the above also quite interesting: From: Ken Witherow ...finds Oops, there goes the |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-10 20:36:05 |
Snippet: | Gates becomes first man to top $100bn http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/your_money/newsid_314000/314426.stm This piece gives some insight into the Gates fortune and how the money is invested. Perhaps the most revealing bits are:
and: Apart from Gates’ investments seem not to be ones a self-proclaimed technological visionary would make. |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-04-11 16:57:45 |
Snippet: | Mr. Alsop observes that whole industries are arising around unprotected products and standards, such as Linux and MP3.
Copyright Protection Is for Dinosaurs |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-11 22:33:14 |
Snippet: | Mangling facts, self-contradictions, changing standards, shortly, the works are used to defend the one principle the author holds: fight everything that would be harmful for Microsoft. Normally, I silence articles like this one to death, Nader’s Microsoft Agenda: Progressive Nonprofit Plan for `Free’ Software by Patrick Reilly |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-11 23:41:59 |
Snippet: |
Due to Microsoft’s Global User MS Wags the Privacy Awards |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-04-12 05:46:39 |
Snippet: | How the Hotmail ‘cookie monster’ bites The use of ‘security zones’ in IE 4 and IE 5 may be at the root of a vexing Hotmail problem. ZDNET or ZDNET UK By Christa Degnan HotMail users seem to feel that Microsoft is guilty of poor planning and they haven’t been very responsive. The problem is that IE4 and 5 don’t recognize HotMail as a trusted site. Doesn’t Microsoft own HotMail? MS tries to speed Win2000 deployment MS going for Linux sites over satirical slogans? |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-04-12 17:14:24 |
Snippet: |
http://www.theregister.co.uk/990413-000006.html Gates As an aside, Gates also says that everyone has |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-04-13 16:48:26 |
Snippet: | Wired got some additional information – for one thing, I hadn’t noticed that Cybernet merely applied for registration of “Where do you want to go tomorrow?”.
Microsoft spokesman Tom Pilla said that the company is simply trying to prevent customer confusion. "[Microsoft These parodies MS Targets Trademark Abuse |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-14 12:47:50 |
Snippet: | It ain’t heavy, it’s Microsoft the Boston Globe By Hiawatha Bray Here’s a livelier slogan, one that accurately describes many Microsoft products: “Two pounds in a one-pound bag.” Hiawatha |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-04-16 06:18:58 |
Snippet: |
Although this LA Times update on the anti-trust settlement talks In other news this week, Microsoft continues it FUD attacks on Linux. Bill Gates trotted out the tired script Also, Microsoft has again commissioned Mindcraft |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-04-16 17:48:45 |
Snippet: | TechWeb By Mary Mosquera Students complain about colleges signing exclusive contracts with Microsoft. They seem to think that there should be some room for competition. What’s more, they’re aware that working in this kind of environment will ensure that they will not be trained to use anything but Microsoft products. This begs the question–how can this be called “higher education”? |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-04-17 05:59:07 |
Snippet: | The Miami Herald seems to have gone beyond the empty talk of “innovation” and looked at Microsoft’s role in development of technology over the years. It still catches If you're depending on that conqueror to be a leader, you can have a real problem. The Microsoft: It’s one thing to dominate; it’s another to Update: Update 2: Roy found a new link to the article here: http://www.herald.com/content/today/business/columnists/keating/digdocs/018180.htmHe |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-18 11:25:18 |
Snippet: | This PC Week article doesn’t contain anything that wouldn’t be placed in Microsoft’s “PressPass”, but it is slightly interesting because it nicely illustrates the relevance of the recent MindCraft incident. Not surprisingly, one area Ed "Nail down the chickens," said Muth. "We're coming." Clearly As for Muth’s closing remark, the fantasy world Microsoft employees live in keeps eluding me. Windows 2000 home stretch in view |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-18 20:37:42 |
Snippet: | Gates talk at Comdex was once more a success. He told the crowded audience that Microsoft will release a new mouse. Furthermore, Gates demonstrated that the problem that plagued him last year when he presented Windows98 with USB to the audience has now been fixed. Finally, Gates disclosed that Microsoft has sunk even more money in Windows NT than IBM in OS/2, so the future of this OS looks bright. Gates, Torvalds vie for title of “developers’ developer” |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-19 23:52:10 |
Snippet: |
Gates Comdex keynote skates over holes in Win2k beta
MS goes for broke with $60 Win2k beta offer
At Update: An additional article from The Register shows that the Win2K Beta 3 release was obviously put together in great haste. |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-04-20 17:51:25 |
Snippet: | Here is the game that Microsoft, Wall Street analysts, and journalists have been playing for many years now: Microsoft’s profits are above those expected by the analysts after the reports of the previous quarter, Microsoft warns that this result is exceptional and that it won’t keep up this pace, analysts and journalists make a prediction, and Microsoft beats this expectation. Part Anyway, there is nothing new in Dan Gillmor’s article, but it is well-written and helps to solidify the presented view. The Microsoft earnings charade |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-20 22:34:23 |
Snippet: |
IDC slams press on reporting of NT ‘success’ In Update:Here is a more detailed report from CNN with a nice observation:
|
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-04-21 17:46:52 |
Snippet: | Microsoft is now widely touting the results of the unscientific MindCraft report that sought to compare the performance of NT 4.0 and Linux on a 4-processors system. Microsoft The conclusion-Windows NT Server 4.0 significantly outperforms Linux, especially for enterprise systems. Given Of Mindcraft Also Microsoft misrepresents the availability of Apache and Samba on a Red Hat 5.2 system: Mindcraft And the following I had to read twice: Windows NT Server also comes packaged with a load of industry support. “Packaged with industry support”? That meaning of “packaging” sure isn’t in my dictionary. Windows NT Server 4.0 faster, more scalable than Linux as a file and Web server, tests show |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-21 20:38:36 |
Snippet: | In the series of “independent” benchmarking reports, HP now claims to have the world’s fastest webserver on the basis of the Windows2000 operating system. Sufficient The benchmarking doesn’t satisfy the conditions |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-22 14:07:47 |
Snippet: | Folks, sorry if I repeat too much of what was said here previously, but I am too lazy to rework things: here is a copy of an e-mail I sent: From: Case Roole To: am-info@essential.org Cc: john.lettice@theregister.co.uk, iwan@itweb.co.za, ianhat@microsoft.com Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 14:30:21 -0400 On Linux By mouth of Microsoft South-Africa's Windows platform manager Ian Hatton a new volley of FUD is launched: "With Note that MindCraft lauds Microsoft's Furthermore: "The How does the But Mr. Hatton also gives in, and this might well be crucial: "Microsoft Of In South-Africa, The If Microsoft repeats References: ITWeb publication of Microsoft/Text100 press release, 21 April 1999: ITWeb editorial by Iwan Pienaar, 22 April 1999: MindCraft report: Best criticism of MindCraft's report "Trust "A look at the Mindcraft report" by Linux Weekly News, April 15, 1999 "Mindcraft Reality Check" by Eric Green (Linux Hardware Solutions), April 15, 1999 "Recently, |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-23 00:55:06 |
Snippet: | Visit to a Naval Carrier UPSIDE by Larry Magid Observes Perhaps salvation from this Microsoft Sacrifices Suits Takes However, He |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-04-23 22:19:25 |
Snippet: | MindCraft claims to have been sending messages to Linux lists to help them finding an optimal configuration for their testing setup. Only one message seems to have been sent, which was under a false name, but did describe MindCraft’s setup in detail. Someone seems to have been checking the full headers of See explanation and forum at LinuxToday: |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-24 23:36:10 |
Snippet: |
Computer conference draws international crowd This |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-04-26 05:10:47 |
Snippet: | FUD, FUD glorious FUD nothing quite like it for boiling the blood. (a tip of the hat to Flanders and Swan) Free Software. Is it Worth the Cost For some reason he ignores Microsoft’s own A REBELLIOUS REACTION TO THE LINUX REVOLUTION |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-04-26 19:07:19 |
Snippet: | Furthermore, it is rumored that *both* parties are going to make much of the AOL/Netscape/Sun deal.
Here is my reference, but don’t bother reading it as it contains no further details: MS-DOJ trial resumption delayed a week |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-27 08:48:27 |
Snippet: | Gratuitous API Changes Can Be Hazardous To Your Program. byte.com by Robert Frantz Anyone This article by a Robert |
By: | Rick Fane |
Date: | 1999-04-27 14:55:08 |
Snippet: |
By Andrew Leonard The |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-04-27 15:55:11 |
Snippet: | Ed “nail down the chickens” Muth has done it again. The latest from him is that Windows is really a kind of grass-roots development: Leadership is important in all So, how does the acclaimed “long-term roadmap” figure in this model? And Aside Another mode of speech much favored by Mr. Muth is Linux “Lacks an Extraordinary Number of Features” of Windows |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-28 00:04:07 |
Snippet: | After the torrent of criticism, Mindcraft seems to be re-doing the tests it ran to compare the performance of Windows NT 4.0 and Linux. It has contacted prominent developers of the kernel, Samba and Apache and these have given some advice. However, due to an Non-Disclosure Agreement, Mindcraft won’t allow anyone from this party to be present on-site. Now how can an NDA interfere with benchmark testing of publicly available software? Furthermore, By not retracting their original report and being Will MindCraft II be better? |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-28 08:45:55 |
Snippet: |
Microsoft trial: Packard Bell execs say software giant ruled Microsoft
Packard-Bell is one of the few PC vendors to |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-04-28 16:17:55 |
Snippet: | As Microsoft claimed that just about any document coming from them was “confidential”, it was difficult for Caldera to present their case to the public. Apparently, Caldera now managed to blow the seals from a significant number of documents and the result is a filing in which they offer a chronology of events and exhibits. Not auguring well for their position, Microsoft uses ``They Caldera unveils evidence in Microsoft case Caldera’s $1.6 Bln Antitrust Suit Opens Microsoft Documents to Scrutiny At the time of writing I couldn’t get through to Caldera’s website, but the filing is supposed to be available here: Update: See also Mary Jo Foley’s article: |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-04-29 10:06:59 |
Snippet: |
As one of the parties to the legal Update: New stories, such as MS kept OEMs on short leash, have been added and the link to the Netscape feared Microsoft would nix merger story has been fixed. Additionally, there is an article entitled MS’s Allard: ‘Could you define Web?’ containing a rather surreal exchange where Web browser is alternately defined as graphical user code for rendering images or simply Internet Explorer. |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-04-29 15:54:15 |
Snippet: | Earlier I announced the availability of Caldera’s 188 page “Statement of facts” on their antitrust case against Microsoft. At the time I couldn’t get through to it, but now I have fetched and read it. The statement is extremely lucid and In 1916, Judge Like the executives in Corn In the face of these memoranda, I’d say that this is a Caldera statement of facts At Even Caldera’s Pulp Fiction |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-01 09:32:14 |
Snippet: | In this follow-up of Ralph Nader’s original conference on Microsoft in 1997 the issue was to make explicit how the Microsoft situation could be improved. An attendant of the conference, Ryan Park, has put up his notes: |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-02 09:49:04 |
Snippet: | Microsoft sponsors ACT and ACT sponsored Stan Liebowitz to write a report concluding that the Microsoft monopoly is good. As I said of the Mindcraft report: “Expect more reports like this.” Liebowitz spoke at Appraising Microsoft [Liebowitz] Liebowitz then From a techweb Mr. Liebowitz Let’s do a little theorizing Another option would be that Oh, well. I’d better stop arguing until Mr. Liebowitz paper “Breaking Windows” is made public. As |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-02 10:25:33 |
Snippet: | Perhaps a secret Market Development Agreement under a Non-Disclosure Agreement was part of Microsoft’s present of a building to MIT as the following “interview” by MIT’s Michael Dertouzos does look all that spontaneous. As you may As And to go on after an empty line to give you a break: “corporate customers find it hard to stay current [with open-source software] as each version is customized” and yet: “Regular upgrades are clearly necessary in an industry that is changing as fast as the software business” plus “upgrades will increasingly be carried out transparently and automatically, without users having to do anything.” I Even though Gates’ statements are meaningless, they may help us to understand what Microsoft is up to. Dertouzos’ introduction is as insightful as it is ridiculous: (Read that last sentence again to get an impression of the personality of Michael Dertouzos!) Here, “Titans Talk Tech: Bill G. and Michael D.” |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-03 21:51:00 |
Snippet: | According to a ComputerWorld story, EDS is going to upgrade to Windows98 because Microsoft was unwilling to resolve remaining minor issues to make Windows95 Y2K compliant. I do not know where truth lies in this matter, but I think Microsoft’s approach to the matter is relevant: ...following Among other Yet under a section titled "Facts Regarding... Year When questioned by Computerworld reporters, So, whereas Microsoft Windows 95 Y2K fix was kept from users Reminds Sounds |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-03 22:31:48 |
Snippet: |
ZDNN The Microsoft also AOL’s business is on-line services |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-05-04 05:38:14 |
Snippet: | In his testimony Paul Maritz proclaimed that Microsoft believes that cable operators will have a determining say in the distribution of software. No doubt, the intended result was to make hearers believe that this weakens Microsoft’s strength. In AFAIK, the latest deal is the biggest of Some fragments of a C|Net article: The The Microsoft Under the agreement Ma Bell said it will increase its use of In addition, the two Anyone care to |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-07 01:32:04 |
Snippet: | As a little aside an article on Gates divestiture of Microsoft shares. Now why would he do this if Microsoft shares are doing so swell? Give the other folks a chance to get in? Gates to cash another $260 million MS stock The MS to take $5bn stake in AT&T MS spends $5 billion to boost CE cable presence MS taking more slices of UK cable business Update: Will cable spending spree turn MS into Ma Bill? |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-07 11:46:53 |
Snippet: | A couple of days ago an interview of MIT’s Michael Dertouzos with Bill Gates was published. In it we read:
(Gates) (Dertouzos) I wish other people and So what are we to make of Microsoft senior vice-president James Allchin’s statement: The profit motive will end up ruining and tarnishing the altruism people use to promote this [free software/Linux] thing. When Endless doubletalk. |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-07 22:58:01 |
Snippet: | The Mindcraft affair presents an interesting image of the way Microsoft deals with the press. Originally, Mindcraft’s report on NT and server performance indicated in smallish script that it was “sponsored” by Microsoft. This was not mentioned in MindCraft’s press release, nor in Microsoft’s articles on the report. Those reports did mention that Mindcraft was an “independent” lab. Some investigation by the Linux community Mr. Weiner is now attempting to restore his damaged credibility, and the story is still continuing. LinuxToday has catalysed much of the investigations on Mindcraft and now it has brought together its articles: Special Report: Mindcraft |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-10 11:32:09 |
Snippet: | Following its strategy of vertical consolidation and extension of its software markets by buying network infrastructure, Microsoft has taken a $600 million stake in Nextel Communications to create a co-branded wireless portal based on MSN services to be reached through Nextel phones. The wireless For example, Microsoft said The wireless MSN As The article doesn’t mention Microsoft, Nextel in $600 million deal |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-11 02:59:16 |
Snippet: | Gates and wife are giving $50M for a health program aimed at preventing maternal death and disability.
Reuters I Reuters is more impressed and sees a Gates gives $50 million to health program |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-11 03:24:04 |
Snippet: | As mentioned shortly ago here, it is Microsoft’s most basic strategy today to buy its customers instead of winning them. Here is another step. MS to spend another $4bn on UK C&W deal? |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-12 14:20:28 |
Snippet: |
In more news along the lines of money talks and the cable networking deals with AT&T, C&W and Nextel , Microsoft also wants to invest in Deutsche Telekom, buy a Swedish mobile device networking firm and buy a 27% stake of a WebMD, |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-05-13 02:53:51 |
Snippet: | Apparenty, “you read it first in The Register” is not an empty claim. Today they wrote that Microsoft has published a report on NT vs Linux, something I hadn’t seen on LinuxToday, that is very keen on following the affair. The report was dated May 8, but last updated May 12. The report pretty much In The feature list that makes up the I had a good laugh about the following Well, numerous items are beyond my ‘Show you can beat NT’ – MS declares war on Linux Update on Windows NT Server vs Linux Performance and Capabilities |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-13 16:04:51 |
Snippet: | The Register noticed the “Why don’t we …” remark in Microsoft’s report, published it, and speculated that it would disappear quickly. It has. By now, the report says that it was published May 12 (no longer 8) and was last revised May 13. When Another MS marketing spin leaks into attack on Linux |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-14 01:12:34 |
Snippet: |
Digital ChosunIlbo:English Edition In |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-05-14 02:49:09 |
Snippet: | One of the most encouraging aspects of the defense against Microsoft’s increasing barrages of FUD against Linux is that ever new persons stand up to write a rebuttal. Microsoft I have never heard The voices raised against Microsoft don’t come from LinuxToday: Response to Microsoft: PC Week benchmarks reveal Mindcraft failings The Register: MS marketing spins and respins in Linux attack Tests cited by MS prove flaws in Linux study – Linux Today Can Linux avoid Microsoft’s NT trap? |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-14 18:04:19 |
Snippet: | If $5B share of AT&T buys Microsoft a 2.5 million units CE market, what do they pay per unit? And how does this buying of market share relate to Microsoft’s claim that they have always won their markets buy virtue of quality and price and like it that way? Bill Gates’ set-top boxing |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-16 13:46:59 |
Snippet: | The purpose and justification of copyright and patent laws is to stimulate original production. If such laws do not exist, as was the case with patent laws for software in Japan en Europe, one would expect them to come into being only after an independent investigation has demonstrated their economical benefits. This Although big (..) On You can read more – including a reference of who to write to – at: Richard Stallman wrote an editorial on the matter: Saving Europa from software patents |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-17 09:32:04 |
Snippet: | Despite the market share of dwarf AMD, most microprocessor revenues still end up with Intel. Furthermore, Intel got hold of a number of processors that it didn’t develop itself, such as former Digital’s Alpha and the StrongARM. No doubt Intel The shared dominance of the desktop is still there, but the “WinTel duopoly” is no longer acting as a unit. Enter ABC news: War of the Wires |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-17 09:48:32 |
Snippet: | Pro- and contra talked remedies in Washington at April 30.
WORKSHOP WHICH REMEDIES? APPRAISING MICROSOFT II INTRODUCTION BY RALPH NADER PANEL #1: DIVESTITURES, STRUCTURAL REMEDIES You can now find the full transcript of the workshop at: The general page on the conference is at: |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-17 23:31:26 |
Snippet: |
MS trial may resume next Monday This MS denies it’s buying users with its billions Further anti-trust investigation may ensue from Microsoft’s latest round of acquisitions and deals with broadband providers. U.S. Judge Says Microsoft Trial To Proceed After |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-05-18 04:20:56 |
Snippet: |
An article entitled “Is free software worth the cost?” Now, Not Here is the article, dubbed by an upped version number in typical Redmond style: Free Software 2.0 |
By: | Roy Bixler |
Date: | 1999-05-18 04:29:52 |
Snippet: | For at least the third time, Bill Gates has invited some 100 industry and government top executive. One can only guess what is said at these meetings as the press is not welcome. Fortune 1k CEOs mass for Bill Gates love-in Update: In Microsoft’s CEO summit draws bigwigs |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-19 15:24:42 |
Snippet: | Hangul, Samsung and Microsoft have all drastically dropped office productivity software prices in Korea. In the wake of the piracy crackdown – with governmental and educational institutions scrambling to buy licenses – Microsoft has dropped the price of its office suite with 90%. Earlier Samsung dropped Hangul & Computer Co. expressed its From the article it seems that Microsoft Only Microsoft strongly reduced prices in a BTW, I’ll happily call “college deals” a Hangul & Computer Corp. to File Dumping Charge Against Microsoft |
By: | Case Roole |
Date: | 1999-05-20 09:08:10 |
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