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| Authored by: LocoYokel on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 09:42 PM EST |
| Put 'em here.... [ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: savage on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 09:43 PM EST |
You know the drill!
It must be remembered that there is nothing
more difficult to plan, more
doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage,
than the creation of
a new system. For the initiator has the emnity of all who
would profit
by the preservation of the old institutions and merely lukewarm
defenders
in those who would gain by the new ones.
-- Niccolo
Machiavelli, 1513
---
Savage
In the 60's everyone took acid to make the world appear wierd
today everyone takes prozak to make the world appear normal [ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: stevem on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 09:44 PM EST |
Oh My!
This seems somewhat indiscreet of the parties involved.
I eagerly await the spin doctors output on this one!!!
- SteveM
[ Reply to This | # ]
|
- Yep it should be good (nt)... - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 03:27 AM EST
- Small mote on the CCIA - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 08:02 AM EST
- Secrets? - Authored by: kenryan on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 11:55 AM EST
- Good point - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 01:22 PM EST
- Secrets? - Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, November 25 2004 @ 08:31 AM EST
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| Authored by: LocoYokel on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 09:45 PM EST |
| Sounds pretty much like business as usual in Seattle. Payoffs and vote buying. [ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: cricketjeff on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 09:45 PM EST |
Microsoft said it would “compensate [the] CCIA for certain legal-related
expenditures it has incurred . . . and provide substantial institutional support
for new and important policy undertakings”.
Is Ed Black an old legal expense or a new policy undertaking?[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: lordshipmayhem on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 10:00 PM EST |
<Sarcasm>Would Ed Black be any relation to Conrad Black, or just someone
who admires his methods?</Sarcasm>
To say the optics look really, really bad would be to put it mildly. I hope the
EU judge gives no quarter in this meeting he/she has called.
Ed, you've just been microsofted.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: vruz on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 10:02 PM EST |
as the proverbial song by Roger Waters says...
"... each man has a price, Bob
and yours was pretty low..."
---
--- the vruz[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: k12linux on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 10:08 PM EST |
My, what a stark contrast to Pam's handling of OSRM. I wonder if he suddenly
feels caught in headlights now that this was made public.
---
- SCO is trying to save a sinking ship by drilling holes in it. -- k12linux[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: webster on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 10:11 PM EST |
Do you think this money had anything to do with their withdrawing their
complaints?
Is buying off your opposition by a monopoly an antitrust violation?
Who leaked this to FT?
Did the board know the whole story?
What specifically were the CCIA issues? And why is Microsoft eager to eliminate
them?
Is there someone else that can take up these issues?
How can CCIA now be considered anything but a M$ puppet now?
Which one of the questions above is rhetorical?
---
webster[ Reply to This | # ]
|
- questions - Authored by: xtifr on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 11:11 PM EST
- questions - Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 11:18 PM EST
- Question 2 - Authored by: fudisbad on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 05:45 AM EST
- questions - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 09:48 AM EST
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 10:34 PM EST |
Ed Black sold out to Satan himself! I wish I could say what I wanted, but there
is a lady in da house.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 10:59 PM EST |
Hey PJ, did you get a job yet?
[ Reply to This | # ]
|
- Get a job yet - Authored by: PJ on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 04:30 AM EST
- Good luck - Authored by: lifewish on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 04:48 AM EST
- Good luck - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 09:11 AM EST
- Tip, from the recently relocated. - Authored by: sjgibbs on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 06:10 AM EST
- Get a job yet - Authored by: tiger99 on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 08:24 AM EST
- Try SCO - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 09:38 AM EST
- Hiss, Boo - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 12:01 PM EST
- Get a job yet - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 09:48 AM EST
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 11:09 PM EST |
If all you have is a hammer, all problems look like nails. If all you have is
money...[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: blacklight on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 11:12 PM EST |
Ah, the look and smell of a corrupt agreement between corrupt parties: rotting,
bloated corpses couldn't smell any worse! This kind of behavior makes me glad
that I am a member of the Open Source community.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 11:26 PM EST |
Is this the Edwin Black who brought us "OS/2 Professional", an
excellent monthly magazin a decade ago? Hope not, would be too big a shame![ Reply to This | # ]
|
- Same guy? - Authored by: Rudisaurus on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 04:39 AM EST
- Same guy? - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 03:12 PM EST
|
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| Authored by: webster on Tuesday, November 23 2004 @ 11:59 PM EST |
M$ does not really care that this agreement has been exposed. If it eliminates
CCIA claims, it is worth it. The Monopoly is struggling for its life. If open
standards prevail over their standards, their Monopoly dies.
Most software and hardware companies are content to be locked into the Monopoly
system. They are allowed their income trickle from the Monopoly income stream.
Better a piece of a big known pie rather than an unknown pie. CCIA members that
approved this are fools. They know that the monopoly can destroy them all.
They don't realize that they certainly will if they are allowed too. Only big
governments can stand up to them. Can the EU stand up to them? Can Asia? Can
they in turn save innovation and independence in the US?
This is a deal with the Devil. Let's hope the outrage helps turn the tide.
---
webster[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Vaino Vaher on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 12:49 AM EST |
If it costs USD 10M to get the complaint withdrawn, then how much have the Irish
politicians pocketed for pushing software patents in the EU
parliament?
And, what are they going to do with the money? There is only a
limited amount of real estate in Ireland, ans being catholic they are assumed to
stay on the straight and narrow.
Whiskey! They must be going to buy whiskey
for their money![ Reply to This | # ]
|
- How much? - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 03:28 AM EST
- How much? - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 06:23 AM EST
- How much? - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 07:22 AM EST
- Let's be fair to the Irish - Authored by: billyskank on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 07:57 AM EST
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| Authored by: unsubtle on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 01:48 AM EST |
| i ask because CCIA members apparently include OSDL and redhat
couldn't they
form a new association, which could relaunch the legal claims in the EU that the
CCIA has dropped? (though AIUI they couldn't appeal the settlement of the US
case, because they weren't a party to it.)
having said all that ... i was
just trying out some ideas, but i don't believe legal actions can prevent M$
from abusing its monopoly. it's more realistic to beat them in the market place,
despite the unlevel playing field. they can't wipe out FOSS in the same ways
they've wiped out proprietary competitors. they're trying to come up with some
new strategies, but i suspect none of them will work:
0. FUD ok, not
new, but still applicable. this won't last for long. the key is that once enough
big companies (IBM and so forth) have been pushing FOSS long enough and hard
enough, the FUD will stop working. we're getting there.
1. s/w
patents in so far as this is just a threat: see 0. in so far as it's for
real, they could do some damage (force features to be removed from programs - or
just force the developers to reimplement the features differently), but the
damage would be limited. they could also be hit by counter-suits. remember that
the idea that FOSS is more vulnerable to patents than proprietary s/w is FUD
(see 0). so, patents are nasty, but not fatal.
2. palladium: the ultimate
vendor lock-in. this is the strongest threat; the only question is who
should be more worried by it: M$'s competitors, or M$? palladium's
implementation will be full of errors (as always), and the security consequences
will be even worse than before, because this time the OS will have
literally been designed to be controlled remotely and not by the
customer/victim who bought the machine (whereas now, that would be merely an
amusing exaggeration). linux will continue to grow before palladium arrives
(official ETA is 2006, but few people believe that), so fewer corporate types
will believe there's no alternative. M$'s customers are already becoming
more reluctant to upgrade to the latest windows; how many will ever "upgrade" to
palladium?
when there was a link to an article about plans for GPL v3, it
said that thought is being given to how to counter-act strategies 1 and 2, which
sounds sensible (more sensible than my rantings, anyway ...). [ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: iraskygazer on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 02:49 AM EST |
This topic brings out the cynic in me.
Does it look like there is a little hush money flowing into the hands of a major
opponent of MS business practices?
[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: lifewish on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 05:02 AM EST |
I assume that a meeting of parties means getting everyone in the same room
(rather than a collision of two groups of drunk students), but what are the
implications of this? Is this business as normal or not? Why are meetings like
this called? Is this likely to be anything to do with Black's bonus?
Anyone able to help? My brain's starting to implode.
---
To err is human but, to really screw up, you need a computer.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 05:36 AM EST |
| For background, I found this short bio of
Ed Black. A small cog in the corporate/government machine in
Washington.
Since he is a lawyer, we should not be surprised that his
opinion is for sale.
I look forward to hearing what the CCIA board and
members have to say about the rationale for this "one off bonus".
[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 05:36 AM EST |
Surely this will raise all manner of hell in the court?
The court is looking for the best resolution to this case with respect to the
consumer of the European Community; not just listening to the person that
"bitches" the loudest.
Just because Microsoft is able to bribe an industry body into dropping its
claims, doesn't mean that those claims didn't have any merit in the first place.
I hope the court recongnises this fact when making it's decision.
Stephen[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: fredricl on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 05:36 AM EST |
| The famous
CyberIn
security: The Cost of Monopoly report that got former @stake CTO Dan Geer fired is still up at CCIA site. Any takers for how long? [ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: micheal on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 05:56 AM EST |
| This article (second one on page)
Up Front
uses the number $12 million of which $2 million is to
be used to pay Ed Black's salary.
[Amusement] Notice the date near the top
of the page. This article must be more accurate because it was published a week
later! (November 29, 2004)[/Amusement]
---
LeRoy -
What a wonderful day. [ Reply to This | # ]
|
- The important bit - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 07:35 AM EST
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 06:54 AM EST |
I do not know the details of antitrust law (I am not a lawyer in any case),
however, I think that the law should consider the case where the monopoly
can pay parties to get out of the case.
The usage of money obtained through illegal usage of monopoly power
should be also illegal.
A thief cannot rob a bank, and then pay everyone so they drop the case.
An abusing monopoly should be able to do that either.
Besides, if an organization brings up a case against about a monopoly, and
then withdraw, it does not mean that the case does not exist, so if the CCIA
withdraws, anybody else should be able to continue the case, even the CCIA
should be obliged to provide any research on the area.
Cheers.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 07:03 AM EST |
| Then we will finally know the answer to one of those great unponderables
when
bidding starts on what the price of freedom is. I used to think it was
priceless...
[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Stumbles on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 07:08 AM EST |
Now that is timing on the part of Groklaw. I had just read about that
over at http://www.theregister.co.uk/. Money may not buy everything
but it sure can buy people and organizations.
I am somewhat stunned by the obviousness of their actions.
---
You can tune a piano but you can't tuna fish.[ Reply to This | # ]
|
- Quote from Ed Black - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 07:17 AM EST
- Working link - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 07:36 AM EST
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| Authored by: phrostie on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 07:32 AM EST |
for many years there have been reports about a Linux Version of Catia. a high
end CAD system from Dassault.
from time to time i get updates thru the grapevine and various sources.
now it seems Ms as paid Dassault 150 million USD, for nothing. Hmmmmmmmm.
http://www.upfrontezine.com/current.htm
First Mover Advantage:
The Dassault-Microsoft Agreement
Dassault Systèmes and Microsoft held a pair of press conferences last week to
announce an agreement whose terms left the media scratching their collective
heads. You can get a sense of the puzzlement from the Q&A summary posted at
our Weblog: worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/2004/11/the_point_being.html
Since then, we have reviewed hours and pages of press material and arrived at
this summary of what the agreement means:
This is a five-year agreement that allows Microsoft to better understand the
collaboration needs of the high-end 3D CAD and PLM market. For Dassault, it
permits input from Microsoft to make their PLM software work better on platforms
provided by Microsoft, such as dot-Net and SharePoint. It also involves a secret
sum of money.
In our opinion, the benefits to each company are:
Microsoft -- lowered resistance by Dassault customers to purchasing
Windows-based software. Like the SAP agreement, this gives Microsoft access into
areas it does yet understand.
Dassault Systèmes -- Catia, Enovia, and Delmia were developed to run on UNIX,
but have since been ported to Windows. This agreement lets Dassault figure out
how to make the software more Windows-friendly. It is our opinion that Dassault
received a cash infusion from Microsoft, perhaps in the order of US$150 million.
Both companies deny that Microsoft purchased a share of Dassault.
http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/2004/11/the_point_being.html
Nov 17, 2004
The Point Being --
Listening in to the Dassault-Microsoft press conference. As industry analysts
ask probing questions, there seems less and less to the agreement.
Q: Will Microsoft use 3DXML as a standard like Direct3D?
A: No.
.
.
.
Q: IBM must not be happy about this, being that they are Dassault's major
distributor?
A: [no response]
Q: What does this mean about Dassault software running on Unix and Linux?
A: No change.
Q: The nagging question is, Why now? Dassault and Microsoft have been working
together for ten years. There is no product announcement. MS has other business
partners, which elevates the question even more: Why now?
A: From Microsoft's perspective, customers need Dassault products to work with
Microsoft software. Maturity of XML, integration with Office Suite, and we want
to support manufacturers.
A: From Dassault's perpective, don't read too much into the timing of the
announcement. This is an evolution, we have worked together in the past, we will
work closer together in the future. 64-bit computing, Longhorn coming, shift
from Unix to Windows, shift from Unix to Linux -- we going to do this right.
That's the timing.
---
=====
phrostie
Oh I have slipped the surly bonds of DOS
and danced the skies on Linux silvered wings.
http://www.freelists.org/webpage/snafuu[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: rsteinmetz70112 on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 07:38 AM EST |
After polishing my tinfoil hat it occurs to me that Microsoft comes out of this
pretty well. They buy an official agreement with CCIA, but that does little to
call back all of the prior statements by CCIA and other opponents. This leak
undermines CCIA's credibility while it does little damage to Microsoft.
Microsoft's opponents already have a low opinion of Microsoft yet Microsoft can
deny that they had any control over where he money went. CCIA is marginalized in
the future unless they make some serious corrections immediately.
---
Rsteinmetz
"I could be wrong now, but I don't think so."[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 07:48 AM EST |
| This acceptace of this money by the CCIA and in particular by thier CEO has
tarnished their credibility for ever. Dont forget part of the deal here was that
MS would join the board also.
Excellent work by MS - and cheap at the
price
These are links to previous CCIA press releases. Not a lot of use
individually but might possibly be of use at some point (?).
link
link
link
link
--
MadScientist [ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: waltish on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 08:03 AM EST |
So it looks like the CCIA has been embraced and extented.
It realy shows the contempt MSoft has for the world at large when its buyouts
are so brazenly obvious.
w
---
To speak the truth plainly and without fear,Is powerfull.
PS: Beware the Gestank of SCO.
PPS: SCO's argument does not withstand analysis.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 08:08 AM EST |
is how I feel about this deal. Microsoft is once again buying the law, plain and
simple. This should not be allowed and should be cause for additional sanctions.
I hope the EU sees through this veil and takes care of business. The industry
trade groups mean nothing at this point. I supported CCIA from its inception and
have spoken about them often as somebody finally willing to stand up to
Microsoft.
I guess it's true what they say, everyone has their price. I sure hope Ed is
sleeping well, I know I am not...[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: MSangrey on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 08:15 AM EST |
Reminds me of a old joke:
Guy to Girl: Would you go to bed with me for a million bucks?
Girl: Ummmmm...well...I don't know...Geeee...Yeah, sure, why not?
Guy: Ok. Good! Would you go to bed with me for a dollar?
Girl: WHAT!!!!! WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM!!!!!?????
Guy: We've already established what you are. We're just dickering over the
price.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 08:15 AM EST |
From SCO's website:
Thomas P. Raimondi Jr., president and CEO of MTI Technology Corp., has resigned
as a director of The SCO Group.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 08:39 AM EST |
I wonder - why wasn't the fact that Redhat and OSDL also approved this
mentioned? Plus, Nokia leaving may have had nothing to do with this - its silly
to assume such things without proof. So is this a MS - Redhat - OSDL -Oracle
conspiracy against the people now? Come on![ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Greebo on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 08:47 AM EST |
| Well, one of SCOX's Directors has legged it,
effective as of today.
Thomas P. Raimondi Jr., president
and CEO of MTI Technology Corp., has resigned as a director of The SCO
Group.
Mr. Raimondi informed the Company that current and anticipated time
constraints relating to his duties at MTI required him to discontinue his
service on the Board, effective as of Nov. 24, 2004.
So, is this the
start of the Exedous?
The press release goes on to say...
The SCO
Group's Board of Directors, which consists of eight seats, has initiated a
search for candidates to fill the vacant seat, and will seek to appoint a
replacement at the 2005 annual meeting of shareholders.
It's going to
be really interesting to see if SCO can fill that spot, since they still have A Job Advert for a Senior Software
Engineer Open since the 13th January 2004.
Greebo
---
PJ has
permission to use my posts for commercial use.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 09:59 AM EST |
Goes to prove when diplomacy fails, buy your enemy out.
Even your worst foes have a price. How unethical and
the consumers lose out in the end. Sad. Very sad.
Oh well...business as usual.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 10:31 AM EST |
Let's be honest here...
This is not a case about Ed Black's moral character. If Microsoft offer anyone
$10Million, they would have accepted -I know I would have.
When a man see's $10million he doesn't see Microsoft, he see's his children in a
good school, this family with excellent health care, the aleviation of all
financial woe for him and his family. You tell me that you wouldn't have
accepted it?
The fact of the matter is this: Microsoft should be able to give money to anyone
they choose. The difference is that any money given should not have an impact on
any litigation surrounding them; and it certainly should not detriment the EU
anti-trust litigation against them as a result.
This is the case where Microsoft was in the wrong (and the government of the US
for letting them get away with it for so long), not the actions of one man (and
the members of the board which allowed it to happen).[ Reply to This | # ]
|
- Let's be honest here... - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 10:49 AM EST
- Let's be honest here... - Authored by: ak on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 10:50 AM EST
- Let's be honest here... - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 11:15 AM EST
- Let's be honest here... - Authored by: nanook on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 11:24 AM EST
- Let's be honest here... - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 11:34 AM EST
- OOOOKKK - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 11:36 AM EST
- Let's be honest here... - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 02:22 PM EST
- Misdirected honesty - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 02:42 PM EST
- Different moral standards - Authored by: cricketjeff on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 03:04 PM EST
- ..really? This doesn't work for the US 25 M$ reward on bin Laden and Zarkawi et al. N/T - Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 08:00 PM EST
- Let's be honest here... - Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, November 25 2004 @ 02:35 AM EST
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 10:38 AM EST |
It seems that many of the players in this conflict can be bought off for the
right price (or perhaps realizing the the "game been fixed" (a la
getting the honest judge thrown out in the DOJ case), have become pracmatic and
taken M$ handout for their own survival.) Perhaps the FOSS community needs a
political arm that's above reproach. As Nelson Mandala retired I recomment PJ
for that position.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 12:49 PM EST |
I would like to take this opportunity to declare that for the paltry sum of $5
million I will say nothing negative about Microsoft, its business practices, its
executives and employees, and its software products for a period of one year
from the day the check is cashed.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 03:51 PM EST |
OK, they have settled the civil case, but surely criminal
prosecution of Microsoft should continue.
[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: AdamBaker on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 04:05 PM EST |
| You beat both The Register and ZDnet to this story. [ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 05:23 PM EST |
FSFE has an interesting statement on the
issue:
[http://mailman.fsfeurope.org/pipermail/press-release/2004
q4/000083.html]
FSFE: "Freedom is priceless, but has a
cost!"
"The Free Software Foundations have a 20 year history of
implementing
and defending freedom in the information society -- be it on a on
a
single user machine or at the European Court in Luxembourg -- and we
are proud
of the independence and integrity we have always
maintained", the president of
Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE)
Georg Greve says in view of the
settlement between Microsoft and the
Computer and Communications Industry
Association (CCIA).
As reported by the Financial Times, Microsoft
bought CCIAs withdrawal
from the European Court case, deserting the European
Commission for
payment of 20 Million US-Dollar to the CCIA, half of which were
paid
to CCIAs president Ed Black personally.
"Microsoft has invested
more than 2.5bn USD into buying two things
from SUN, Novell and the CCIA: The
immediate freedom of European
companies and consumers and the capability of the
European Commission
to bring about future successful antitrust investigations,"
Greve
continues. "It may briefly increase their financial assets, but at
the
cost of future market perspectives." Examples are home
entertainment,
operating systems built into cars and mobile phones.
The
Free Software Foundation Europe emphasizes that with each turn of
the wheel, it
will become more difficult to break the vicious
cycle. Each failed antitrust
ruling will give Microsoft more assets to
buy parties out of future antitrust
investigations. Unlike CCIA,
Novell or SUN, the Free Software Foundation Europe
cannot be bought
and will continue to support the European Commission in the
case.
"Those who wish to see freedom of market restored should be aware
that
never can someone with deeper pockets divert support already given to
FSFE,
as it happened with the CCIA. This independence is priceless,
but not without
cost. The only thing that might therefore be able to
stop us is lack of
resources because of lack of support." Greve
finishes.
FSFE members are
available for interviews and further details.
About the Free Software
Foundation Europe:
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is
a charitable
non-governmental organisation dedicated to all aspects of Free
Software in Europe. Access to software determines who may participate
in a
digital society. Therefore the Freedoms to use, copy, modify and
redistribute
software - as described in the Free Software definition-
allow equal
participation in the information age. Creating awareness
for these issues,
securing Free Software politically and legally, and
giving people Freedom by
supporting development of Free Software are
central issues of the FSFE. The
FSFE was founded in 2001 as the
European sister organisation of the Free
Software Foundation in the
United States.
Further information on
MS vs EU case: http://www.fsfeurope.org/proj
ects/ms-vs-eu/
Further information: http://www.fsfeurope.org
[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 05:34 PM EST |
Money is a good thing; however, the love of money is the root of all evil. It
is a shame how people will sell out the future generation for money.
It is the most difficult thing to teach old dogs new tricks; it is just so sad
that "once a thief always a thief" is such a true and unchangeable
saying.
There is an old African saying; "the higher the monkey climbs the more the
monkey will be exposed".
Nothing lasts forever therefore sooner or later that bully will be subdued
eventually. PJ, I sincerely hope that you are not the only decent person with
integrity on this planet.
Lets see what happens in the next few months on the other side of the Ocean.[ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: kamauo on Wednesday, November 24 2004 @ 06:43 PM EST |
The more I consider this whole circus the more I think that some of these
parties are secretly planning to take
M$ for a ride.
The EU will not rescind unless someone pays someone, which is quite unlikely.
There is nothing that stifles progress than monopolies and anyone who does not
know this should look at IE and FireFox.
If a little kid can create a better product than the monopoly it only goes to
show that monopolies do not support innovation or progress.
Although Sun is not a monopoly they have an aristocratic attitude, which borders
on dictatorship even though their business position is slowly but surely
eroding.
I do hope that the EU does not uphold software patents because this would be a
major stumbling block to everything that is good and reasonable in this part of
the world.
Greed is a terrible disease because we do not usually feel its effect until it
is too late. This is the beginning of the slow ending of monopoly especially in
the software industry; however, the big players cannot see this because their
eyes are blinded by greed.
Check out this story:
One day a dog was crossing a river with a bone in its mouth and while on the
bridge it looked into the river and saw the reflection of the bone it was
carrying, which seemed bigger to it.
Immediately it let go of the bone that it was carrying in order to get the
bigger one in the river. Alas, the bigger bone was an illusion and that foolish
dog lost its supper.
If you try to get it all you will eventually lose it all.
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, November 25 2004 @ 08:45 PM EST |
Normally when parties settle a lawsuit, they each get something out of it or
they would not settle.
In a suit where one side is really only after damages, then money alone would
settle that suit.
In a complex antitrust action with numerous issues money is not directly an
issue in the suit. Indeed I doubt CCIA even asked for money in their
challenge.
I think that Mr. Black and others at CCIA should be asked about each and every
complaint or issue they raised. They should be asked what did they win and
where did they compromise on each issue. It will become apparent that they got
nothing. They abandanoned their claims for the money. They caved in. They
permitted themselves to be bought off.
Let us hope this is apparent to the court. The court has to approve
settlements. I don't know what is going on over there but I hope the court can
do something. Who is looking out for the public interest.
Someone should step into the breach and maintain CCIA's issues.
If the judge is outraged by this, he won't let them out of the suit. [ Reply to This | # ]
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| Authored by: Anonymous on Saturday, November 27 2004 @ 02:58 AM EST |
The Corelrescue group (now ex-Corel shareholders;
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/corelinvestors2/) contacted CCIA and Ed
Black for assistance in 2003 when Microsoft was clearly manipulating the former
Linux supporter and Office suites competitor Corel to take it private using
closely associated and former MS personnel as their proxies.
Surprisingly, Ed Black had no interest in Microsoft's burying, and even grabbing
control of, one of their few remaining high-profile competitors. Even despite
the fact that CCIA had previously kept complaining specifically about Microsoft
abusing the Office Suite monopoly in unison with the Windows monopoly.
Ed Black / CCIA didn't raise his pinky finger when in 2003 Corel and their very
large portfolio of products was taken private by MS henchmen at below
bargain-bottom prices.
I guess that's America for ya. Even high-profile self-acclaimed competition
watchdogs like Ed Black are just in it to line up their own pockets. Now,
despite having totally lost his credibility he doesn't give a damn as he's going
to retire in the luxury that a cool $10 million buys him and his conscience.[ Reply to This | # ]
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