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MS Threatens S. Korea & "Just Say No to Microsoft"
Friday, October 28 2005 @ 12:17 PM EDT

Here's a little story to start your day, and as you read it, think about Microsoft and Massachusetts and OpenDocument Format, will you?

As you know, Microsoft is being investigated for antitrust violations by South Korea's Fair Trade Commission. Microsoft paid RealNetworks $761 million, and RealNetworks announced it would drop its lawsuits against Microsoft, including the litigation in Korea, but Korea said it intended to continue the investigation anyway. Microsoft has a message for South Korea -- let us do things our way, or we'll take our software and go home. You think I'm kidding? Read it for yourself from the Reuters story:

Microsoft Corp. has threatened to withdraw its Windows software from South Korea if the country's antitrust agency orders it to unbundle its Instant Messenger and Media Player from the operating system. . . .

"If the KFTC enters an order requiring Microsoft to remove code or redesign Windows uniquely for the Korean market, it might be necessary to withdraw Windows from the Korean market or delay offering new versions in Korea," Microsoft said in a U.S. regulatory filing on Thursday."

So, if Microsoft withdrew Windows from the Korean market, could Korean citizens in the future access their goverment documents saved already in Microsoft formats? Extrapolate, please, to Massachusetts. Now do you understand why the government there wants to rely only on open standards and open formats for digital documents? No matter what anyone does, if the documents are open standards/open formats, you are assured that you can always access your legacy data. Your grandchildren will be able to do so, too.

This is, of course, an important reason why governments may choose to rely only on open standards and open formats, instead of on single vendors, who may on a whim choose to pick up their marbles and go home.

By the way, if anyone in South Korea or anywhere else is interested in learning how to easily move away from Microsoft products, here's a timely new book on how to do it, "Just Say No to Microsoft". You can read Chapter 4, on alternatives to Word. Just download it here. By the way, the author, Tony Bove, opens that chapter by noting that he wrote his book without using Word. So, never fear, South Korea. Even if Microsoft fulfills its threat, there is life after Microsoft.

Here's the press release about the book:

*******************************

ENTERTAINING GUIDE HELPS USERS KICK MICROSOFT HABIT

Book makes compelling case for other operating systems and programs, and shows how to make the switch painlessly

October 25, 2005, San Francisco- There are so many reasons to say no to Microsoft -- the blue screen of death, Outlook email viruses, the endless dump of Windows patches, and so on. And yet, with Microsoft owning the lion's share of the desktop market, how can anyone escape the Beast from Redmond and still function? It's not as hard as you think, and author Tony Bove is only too happy to explain how to become liberated in his new book, "Just Say No To Microsoft" (No Starch Press, October '05). As PC Magazine columnist John Dvorak says in his introduction, "You are about to read one of the most interesting overviews of modern desktop computing history that's ever been written."

"Just Say No To Microsoft" is entertaining, provocative, and great fun to read, but it's also packed with practical information about alternative operating systems and programs that will help Microsoft captives exercise their freedom of choice. After tracing Microsoft's rise from tiny startup to monopolistic juggernaut, "Just Say No To Microsoft" chronicles how the company's practices have discouraged innovation, stunted competition, and helped foster an environment ripe for viruses, bugs, and hackers. From there, Bove examines other operating systems, such as Linux and Macintosh, and Microsoft Office alternatives that will keep readers productive and able to interact with their Microsoft-using colleagues and friends without missing a beat.

"The shortcomings and risks of Microsoft products have made tech headlines for years, but many users stick with Windows and Microsoft Office simply because they don't know what else to try or what the alternatives are," said Bill Pollock, founder of No Starch Press. "'Just Say No To Microsoft' is a valuable resource because, in addition to explaining why and how Microsoft does what it does, it offers real alternatives. There's no reason to be a frustrated Microsoft customer anymore."

Inside Just Say No To Microsoft, readers will find:

-The history of Microsoft and its dominance of the software industry
-Thorough discussions of Linux, OpenOffice.org, Macintosh, and other Microsoft alternatives
-Freeware, open source, and other programs that can replace the buggy, virus-prone Microsoft Office suite
-Bove's "12 Steps To Freedom" for kicking the Microsoft addiction and living a clean computing life

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tony Bove has been in the computer industry since 1976, editing the influential Inside Report on New Media newsletter and writing for magazines including Computer Currents, Nextworld, the Chicago Tribune Sunday Technology section, and NewMedia. He also co-founded and edited Desktop Publishing/Publish magazine and has written 20 books on computing, desktop publishing, and multimedia. Offline, Bove plays harmonica and sings classic rock with The Flying Other Brothers band.

Just Say No to Microsoft by Tony Bove
October 2005, 256 pp., $24.95, 1-59327-064-X
Available at fine bookstores everywhere, from www.oreilly.com/nostarch, or directly from No Starch Press (www.nostarch.com, orders@nostarch.com, (800 420.7240).

ABOUT NO STARCH PRESS: Founded in 1994, No Starch Press is one of the few remaining independent computer book publishers. We publish the finest in geek entertainment-unique books on technology, with a focus on Open Source, security, hacking, programming, and alternative operating systems. Our titles have personality, our authors are passionate, and our books tackle topics that people care about. See www.nostarch.com for more. (And by the way, most No Starch Press books use RepKover, a lay-flat binding that won't snap shut.)


  


MS Threatens S. Korea & "Just Say No to Microsoft" | 223 comments | Create New Account
Comments belong to whoever posts them. Please notify us of inappropriate comments.
Kerrektions here
Authored by: alisonken1 on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 12:22 PM EDT
.

---
- Ken -
Registered Linux user #296561
Slackin' since 1994 -
import std_disclaimer.py

[ Reply to This | # ]

  • Kerrektions here - Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 01:37 PM EDT
  • Kerrektions here - Authored by: Anonymous on Saturday, October 29 2005 @ 07:42 PM EDT
OT Here, please
Authored by: overshoot on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 12:23 PM EDT
Instructions for clicky HTML at bottom of comment form.

[ Reply to This | # ]

It's a bluff
Authored by: overshoot on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 12:26 PM EDT
Remember them pulling the same line with the EC?

The absolute last thing Microsoft wants is to create a safe place for competition to build up critical mass. Especially in Asia.

[ Reply to This | # ]

MS Threatens S. Korea & "Just Say No to Microsoft"
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 12:27 PM EDT
Looks like more kids in the school yard have decided to
stand up to the bully.

[ Reply to This | # ]

Wow, talk about reading too much into something!
Authored by: Zak3056 on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 12:33 PM EDT
From the linked article:

"If the KFTC enters an order requiring Microsoft to remove code or redesign Windows uniquely for the Korean market, it might be necessary to withdraw Windows from the Korean market or delay offering new versions in Korea," Microsoft said in a U.S. regulatory filing on Thursday.

This isn't a threat--this is Microsoft disclosing a possible negative impact to its business. If the KFTC rules against it, MS will be required to withdraw Windows until they can do something like they did in the EU--Windows "N" or whatever its called.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

[ Reply to This | # ]

MS Threatens S. Korea & "Just Say No to Microsoft"
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 12:45 PM EDT
Actually, Korean government documents are already in a proprietary format: .hwp,
saved by Hangul Word Processor (HWP) from Haansoft, a.k.a. HNC. HWP is the main
reason Microsoft Word is cheap in Korea. Probably the cheapest in the world.

HWP readers can be freely downloaded (free as in beer) or be purchased for
Windows/Linux.

[ Reply to This | # ]

MS Threatens S. Korea & "Just Say No to Microsoft"
Authored by: Marvin0456 on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 12:46 PM EDT
Seems like the article could have ended with "So, never fear, Massachusets.
Even if Microsoft fulfills its threat, there is life after Microsoft." just
as easily. Doesn't OpenOffice already import Word documents? If there are
import errors - even for some of the more obscure layouts/formats - I think the
community would have lots of incentive to improve the input filters.

[ Reply to This | # ]

MS Threatens S. Korea & "Just Say No to Microsoft"
Authored by: Groklaw Lurker on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 12:47 PM EDT
Hmmm... I just said NO! to Microsoft long ago. I haven't had a Microsoft
operating system or Microsoft applications either in my home or on my desk at
work for over a decade.

Admittedly though, electronic interaction with friends and colleagues has become
much, much less painful with the passage of time, now it is completely painless.


Using Linux, OpenBSD and a wide variety of Open Source applications, I worked
away while my co-workers labored to survive the Welchia worm, I painlessly
completed the coding of a security logging daemon while my colleagues cursed
'Code Red' and hurled objects across their cubes uttering profanities that would
have made a sailor blush.

My no's were said to Microsoft in the early nineties, even the thought of using
a Microsoft operating system again makes my stomach queasy and my hands tremble
with dread.

I have never been more content, at home or at work!



---
(GL) Groklaw Lurker
End the tyranny, abolish software patents.

[ Reply to This | # ]

Monday, Monday
Authored by: JonP on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 12:53 PM EDT
>So, if Microsoft withdrew Windows from the Korean market, >could Korean citizens in the future access their goverment >documents saved already in Microsoft formats? Extrapolate, >please, to Massachusetts. Now do you understand why the >government there wants to rely only on open standards and >open formats for digital documents? No matter what anyone >does, if the documents are open standards/open formats, you >are assured that you can always access your legacy data. >Your grandchildren will be able to do so, too.

I hope that Monday's hearing in Massachusetts will include outside comments rather than be a "How Your Government REALLY Works" demonstration.If so, then I hope that someone brings it up. Even if it is a bluff, the mere fact that MS can make this kind of threat is thought provoking.

[ Reply to This | # ]

MS Threatens S. Korea & "Just Say No to Microsoft"
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 12:53 PM EDT
According to an article by Park Jin-hyeong (jhpark@yna.co.kr) of the Korean
Associated Press, it's mandatory to mention any potential risks in financial
regulatory filings. (Is that true?) Microsoft Korea explains that it was just a
potential risk, and they have never really considered leaving Korea.

[ Reply to This | # ]

Microsoft said the same thing back in 2000
Authored by: zero0w on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 12:56 PM EDT
I posted it on Slashdot.org, and I am going to say it again:

When the Justice Department and other anti-trust parties asked Microsoft to separate IE from the OS, Microsoft said the same thing on withdrawing Windows 98/2000 running out there. Well, back then Desktop Linux wasn't ready to challenge it (remember, OpenOffice.org and Mozilla/Firefox didn't reach 1.0 until 2002).

Now, Microsoft wants to pull the same feat again; should Korean government back down? Hmm, tough call. But if I were to make IT procurement decision for Korean government, it should be a sign that they should NOT upgrade to Windows Vista and instead forming a task force to strengthen desktop Linux development. No government should be prey to a mega-corporation of this type of blackmail. They are already striving to support Firefox/W3C standard in all government websites. Maybe it's time to consider go further than that.

[ Reply to This | # ]

MS Threatens S. Korea - wish they would threaten the U.S. too
Authored by: clark_kent on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 01:00 PM EDT
Hey, is that a promise??? If the DOJ forced you to unbundle your Media Player,
Instant Messenger, and Web browser from the OS, would you promise to do the same
here? Oh, please withdraw your products from the U.S. Please do!!!!

[ Reply to This | # ]

MS Threatens S. Korea - Why not the EU?
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 01:06 PM EDT
I found this rather interesting:

...Microsoft Corp...has threatened to withdraw its Windows software from South Korea if the country's antitrust agency orders it to unbundle its...Media Player from the operating system.
...
"If the KFTC enters an order requiring Microsoft to remove code or redesign Windows uniquely for the Korean market, it might be necessary to withdraw Windows from the Korean market or delay offering new versions in Korea," Microsoft said in a U.S. regulatory filing on Thursday.

Didn't Microsoft have to remove code and/or redesign Windows "uniquely" for the EU market by offering a Media Player free version. I don't remember Microsoft commenting that "it might be necessary to withdraw Windows from the EU market or delay offering new versions in the EU".

Or did I miss something?

[ Reply to This | # ]

MS Threatens S. Korea & "Just Say No to Microsoft"
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 01:08 PM EDT
What's really funny about this is that the story on Slashdot right below this
one asks "Why are people switching to Linux?"

Funny coincidence, that. :)

[ Reply to This | # ]

so what?
Authored by: NemesisNL on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 01:32 PM EDT
existing windows users already have a liscence so they will not be in any
trouble when MS decides to withdraw. Most windows user are not planning on
upgrading anytime soon anyway so this only hits those that want to buy a new or
better yet a first pc and do not have a liscence for a windows version yet.

I think MS is shooting itself in the foot. The only message they send with this
is that they can not be trusted and doing buisiness with them can result in harm
to your country. What better reason do you need to move away from windows then
this threat. Any selfrespecting state will not allow a buisiness company holding
it for ransom. Any country that does tollerate behaviour like this is asking for
it. Time to send MS a strong message.....withdraw? by all meaans be our
guest....oh hello mister linux.... you where saying?

[ Reply to This | # ]

A plea for relief from Microsoft's escalating anti-competitive tactics.
Authored by: NZheretic on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 01:39 PM EDT
From Wednesd ay, March 10, 2004, and still as relevant today...

A plea for relief from Microsoft's escalating anti-competitive tactics.

An open letter to antitrust, competition, consumer and trade practice monitoring agency officials worldwide.

The role of trade practice and antitrust legislation is to provide the consumer with protection from abusive business practices and monopolies. In one of the most serous cases of monopolization in the information technology industry, the agencies charged with protecting the competitive process and the consumer have utterly failed to stem the offending corporation's anti-competitive practices.

The Microsoft corporation has been under continuous investigation by antitrust policing agencies since 1989. Despite this scrutiny, the Microsoft corporation, using covert and overt anti-competitive business tactics, has maintained an unabated campaign against alternatives to Microsoft Windows operating system platforms and Microsoft applications.

For years the Microsoft corporation has earned around 70% to 80% net profit from sales of its operating systems and application software. Only in areas like Thailand where Linux on the desktop has just begun to gain a foothold has Microsoft stated that it will release versions of its operating system platform and application software at a lower price to Original Equipment Manufactures (OEMs) and retail consumers than is available in the rest of the modern world. Consumers benefit where real competition exists.

The world desktop operating system market remains predominantly monopolized by Microsoft. Over the last decade, Microsoft continued to lever its desktop platform monopoly to the point where it now holds a dominant position worldwide in the application office suite and web browser software markets. On its own, the current USA Department Of Justice (DOJ) settlement with the Microsoft corporation has failed to bring about any restoration of serous competition to the desktop operating system market. Microsoft continues to use similar anti-competitive business tactics in an attempt to monopolize the digital media player and the desktop services server markets. Competing vendors increasingly find that they can no longer compete with Microsoft if they limit themselves to only the traditional closed source model of software development.

In the last six years information technology vendors have adopted techniques and resources from two existing movements geared toward the construction of software. The newer open source movement, represented by the non-profit Open Source Initiative (OSI) corporation, emphasizes the licensing of software in a manner which encourages its collaborative development in an open environment. The older free software movement, represented by the non-profit Free Software Foundation (FSF), focuses on the ethical issues surrounding the licensing of software. The free software movement emphasizes freedoms which are often taken for granted outside of the field of software: the freedom to use, study how something works, improve or adapt it and redistribute.

The Free Software Foundation offers two software license schemes which are compatible with their own goals and those of the Open Source Initiative: The GNU General Public License (GPL) and the GNU Library General Public License (LGPL). Essentially, the GPL and LGPL licenses grant the recipient extra rights than that granted by copyright law. Both licenses insure that a contributor or distributor of a GPL or LGPL licensed work may not further impede downstream recipients the rights granted by the same license. Many developing software in an open source manner have realized that this benefit offered by the GPL and LGPL licenses outweigh any potential losses. The licensing also insures that no contributing or distributing vendor or group of vendors could potentially monopolize the market, insuring that real market competition dictates price. Just as the automotive industry can commonize on standards for the production of the mechanisms of seats, instrument panels and doors while providing brand and regional differentiation across a wide array of models, the information technology community can collaboratively develop works under free licenses. Both vendors and consumers benefit from the resulting development cost reductions and competition from use of the resulting commons.

The Linux operating system and many other opens source and free applications have been developed in an open source manner under free license terms. Despite free licensing and open source licensing requiring that the source code is freely available there are numerous profitable business models. Vendors can offer proprietary software for open source platforms and/or take a hybrid approach dual licensing the development of software. Vendors can select, customizing and configure free software, offering the bundled result. Vendors can offer support services. Vendors can also offer hardware which runs the freely available software. The resulting collection of hardware, software and services has been widely deployed as a server operating environment. Many vendors, from small one person operators to large multinational conglomerates, now compete to provide goods and services for the resulting platform. Linux has restored true free market competition to the server arena.

Linux can provide just as capable a desktop platform, however Linux adoption in this area faces barriers resulting from Microsoft's anti-competitive tactics. Interoperation with Microsoft products is difficult while Microsoft continues to embrace and extend protocols developed in an open source manner, and along with Microsoft developed protocols and file formats, license the result in a manner unacceptable to competing vendors. In the field of digital media, Microsoft does not make its media player codecs available to the Linux platform. Despite the US DOJ settlement requirements for Microsoft's contracts with Original Equipment Manufactures (OEMs), Microsoft's current relationship with major OEM dealers requires OEMs to sell consumers personal computers with an operating system, in many cases requiring consumers wanting to replace Microsoft's operating system with Linux to go though a difficult refund process. Above and beyond the issues of interoperation and OEMs, customer perception is one of the greatest barriers to Linux adoption on the desktop.

The Microsoft corporation has maintained an unabated campaign against any and all competition to Microsoft's own products. The most significant common denominator to this ongoing campaign is the dissemination of Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt, commonly referred to in the information technology sector by the acronym FUD. While it is fair to point out relative deficiencies in competing vendors products or services, Microsoft corporation CEOs and agents of Microsoft have too often crossed the line by participating in the dissemination of outright untruthful statements. Refuting false allegations and incorrect assertions requires a significant effort, especially when previously refuted falsehoods are recycled and repeated as fact. Following the resulting arguments can require some technical knowledge, however in the last few years many of the more outrageously untrue statements in Microsoft's propaganda have backfired strongly enough to show up in Microsoft's own market research as a problem.

It now appears that Microsoft has chosen to escalate this disinformation campaign by actively participating in a situation to discredit the viability of the Linux platform and raise uncertainty to the cost of the Linux platform, manufacturing Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt.

The SCO Group has entered into a series of essentially inherently flawed lawsuits and fraudulent license claims against users of the Linux operating system. Since 1994, Caldera International and the Santa Cruz Operation have been accepting, profiting from and distributing software developed by hundreds of independent developers under the terms of the GPL and LGPL license. The SCO Group has failed to put forward any sustainable legal theory why it should not abide by the terms of the GPL license. Detailed investigation into other facts and evidence which regularly conflict with the SCO Group's various legal claims, filing, press and public statements, raises serous questions which can no longer be explained away by a lack of competence in either the SCO Group's CEOs or the SCO Group's legal representation.

There is now increasing evidence that Microsoft has been indirectly financing -- to the point of sustaining -- the SCO Group's campaign against Linux. Disclosed internal email memos back up by recent filings to the US Securities and Exchange Commission indicate that at least a third of SCO's entire market capitalization, and their entire current cash reserve, is payoffs funnelled from Microsoft.

The relationship between Microsoft, the SCO Group and the SCO Group's recent financial backers requires immediate investigation by all agencies entrusted with providing the consumer with protection from abusive business practices and monopolies.

The adoption of Linux on the desktop offers an opportunity to restore competition to the desktop market. The resulting freeing up by natural market forces will open up opportunities for vendors beyond Linux, open source and free licensed software vendors. Microsoft's escalating anti-competitive tactics raise further barriers which the consumer should not have to continue to face. Trade practice and antitrust legislation exist to provide the consumer with protection from abusive business practices and monopolies. We ask that agencies and officials entrusted with providing the consumer with protection act according to the intent of that legislation.

Copyright © David Mohring, 2004 : Verbatim copying of this article is permitted in any medium, provided this notice is preserved.

[ Reply to This | # ]

12-Step Program
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 01:52 PM EDT

Interesting that the press release mentions:

Bove's "12 Steps To Freedom" for kicking the Microsoft addiction and living a clean computing life

I have on my shelf a book from 2001 titled Linux for Windows Addicts: A 12-Step Program for Habitual Windows Users.

But I'm sure the imitation is sincere flattery.

[ Reply to This | # ]

  • 12-Step Program - Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 02:30 PM EDT
  • 12-Step Program - Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 06:43 PM EDT
MS Threatens S. Korea & "Just Say No to Microsoft"
Authored by: deList on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 02:45 PM EDT
I read this site all the time, but very rarely comment. This article (not a
link, but the entire section PJ wrote) needs to be sent and read by the people
putting together Monday's meeting in Mass. *THEY* need to understand what being
in bed with a certain vendor could mean...regardless of how much money they
received for selling their souls.

[ Reply to This | # ]

If I were Korea, I'd up the ante...
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 02:46 PM EDT
... By placing an immediate ban on all MS products.

Then we would see who's laughing and who's crying the most :^)

[ Reply to This | # ]

How Korea can regain their freedom, and end the threat
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 03:02 PM EDT
Easy: mandate, now, that all government agencies *must* be off of Windows by
some reasonable date, say, December 2006.

Microsoft clearly indicated it is no longer interested in holding individuals as
hostages: it clearly intends to hold ENTIRE COUNTRIES hostage, and believes it
has the money (and US DoJ support) to make it so.

Easiest thing for Korea is to take the steps to get away from such an abusive
"partner" immediately. The sword is drawn, and Microsoft clearly
intends to hold it over their heads.

[ Reply to This | # ]

The reaction was really fast
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 03:36 PM EDT
This story hit the various sites I visit very quickly. Is this because the
story is important? Is it because of wishful thinking in the geek community?
Is this because Microsoft is an evil behemoth flexing its muscles at poor
helpless South Korea? Is it that Microsoft has just done something really
really stupid? Anyway, I have seldom seen a story hit all the sites quite so
quickly.

[ Reply to This | # ]

The relevant document...
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 04:13 PM EDT
...referred to by Reuters is: 10/27/2005 10Q see Note 8 on page 10.

Alan(UK)

[ Reply to This | # ]

The relevant quote from Microsoft's 10/27/2005 10-Q Quarterly Report
Authored by: NZheretic on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 05:20 PM EDT
On Page 32 near the end of the section on Management’s Discussion and Analysis..:
The Korean Fair Trade Commission (“KFTC”) has been investigating whether our inclusion of streaming media technology or instant messenger technology in Windows, or the inclusion of Windows Media Services as an optional component of Windows Server, violates the Korean Fair Trade Law. The KFTC has been conducting hearings periodically since July 2005. The KFTC could enter a remedial order that could bar us from offering a version of Windows in Korea that included media or messenger technologies or bar us from offering Windows Server with Windows Media Services as an optional component. If the KFTC enters an order requiring Microsoft to remove code or redesign Windows uniquely for the Korean market, it might be necessary to withdraw Windows from the Korean market or delay offering new versions in Korea unless the remedial order is stayed or overturned on appeal.
Note that according Microsoft the KFTC order only refers to Windows Server not the Desktop.

[ Reply to This | # ]

MS Threatens S. Korea & "Just Say No to Microsoft"
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 06:32 PM EDT
You must not have even bothered to look at Openoffice. If you had opened the
writer program once, you would have seen that it can read 95.doc and
97/2000/XP.doc files. I use it every day to collaborate on files with no
problems. I can keep the files in .doc format or I can save them in the
Openoffice format. The problem you are trying to describe does not exist.

SDM

[ Reply to This | # ]

Bear in mind
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 07:48 PM EDT
Tompkins County includes the people republic of Ithaca, home of Cornell
University. If the story was that Tomkins banned IE it would make a lot more
sense to me.

;-)

[ Reply to This | # ]

  • Bear in mind - Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 08:44 PM EDT
    • Yes, but ... - Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 10:36 PM EDT
How big is the Korean market for MS?
Authored by: dkpatrick on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 09:10 PM EDT
Korea is quite notorious for the amount of software piracy. Perhaps Microsoft
also views Korea as a dicey marketplace so making an example of the country's
policies, and withdrawing from the country altogether, is not viewed as a big
loss by MS executives.

---
"Keep your friends close but your enemies closer!" -- Sun Tzu

[ Reply to This | # ]

  • Probably not - Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 10:56 PM EDT
    • Probably not - Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 11:38 PM EDT
Nothing new...
Authored by: philc on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 10:26 PM EDT
...this is just Microsoft being Microsoft. Its the way they do business. Look
back through their history and you will find all kinds of things like this. They
will go up to the edge and push one more time. Occasionally they get called on
it, most of the time the other party folds. Overall, its a very cost effective
money maker.

If you are ever casting about for a single word that characterizes Microsoft,
consider the word greed.

[ Reply to This | # ]

MS Threatens S. Korea & "Just Say No to Microsoft"
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, October 28 2005 @ 11:19 PM EDT
Lucky Koreans - How do we get Microsoft here in the states to stop releasing new
versions.

Well at least one less country we have to worry about becoming embraced and
extended.

If I were them I would open the door and say goodbye. The world does not need
Microsoft even though Steve and Bill think the world needs them.

[ Reply to This | # ]

MS Threatens S. Korea & "Just Say No to Microsoft"
Authored by: Anonymous on Saturday, October 29 2005 @ 01:13 AM EDT
   From the last paragraph of the sample chapter of "Just Say No", is this..

    With so much knowledge about PDF available in the developer communities, one wonders why Microsoft's support for PDF is so minimal.
"Microsoft is fighting to keep Office as the standard archival format for documents," said Rob Helm, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft. * "If companies were to standardize on PDF, Office would become just one PDF authoring tool among many. It is a very long-term threat, but Microsoft can afford to look several steps ahead."

To paraphrase, "If companies were to standardize on ODF, Office would become just one ODF authoring tool among many."

Looks like MS decided to support PDF as a last ditch effort to stave off ODF. My guess is they see 'allowing' PDF for document storage as less of a loss/threat than ODF as an editable medium. This means, of course, that 'customer demand' had absolutely nothing to do with their adding the ability to save as PDF to Office. Are we surprised?

the comment by Rob Helm seems to come from this ZDNet.uk article which is dated December 03, 2003.
Looks like this point needs re-articulation..

Also, does anyone have any knowledge of this text extract of a screen shot of an editor from the "Just Say No" link..

    In the late 1970's, a Harvard dropout from Seattle named Bill Gates surveyed the fledgling hobby computer industry and told his future Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen, that the industry would be easy to monopolize. All you needed to do was control the software.... Gates was still talking about monopolizing the industry in the early 1980's when his P.R. firm told him to stop using that word.

If there is evidence of this, methinks there is a certain Judge, as well as a large public, that need to see it. It, along with the acts of MS, would demonstrate that the monopoly was an intentional thing.

bobby

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No problem at all.
Authored by: Anonymous on Saturday, October 29 2005 @ 03:23 AM EDT
The Korean government should just ban all Microsoft preinstalled OEM and
subscription licences in Korea if Microsoft refuses to unbundle. Users would
still be able buy and install Microsoft boxed products piecemeal and install on
OS-less PCs - Korea can allow them to bundle applications on OSes sold
separately, because the user can choose to buy or not. This is how Microsoft
should be forced to sell it's software everywhere.

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i agree with most of the anti-m$ talk, but...
Authored by: Anonymous on Saturday, October 29 2005 @ 03:49 PM EDT
The stuff about 'endless dump of microsoft patches' is silly.
1. m$ is notoriously slow with patches, so if they cut back on it, it would be
even worse.
2. if someone things m$ patches are endless, what would they say about
linux+associated programs.

M$ might flunked (replaced a stronger word) a lot of things, but i think their
patch system is almost ok. Except that you need IE to get the patches.

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The Microsoft pattern
Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, October 30 2005 @ 04:18 AM EST
Threats are standard operating procedure at Microsoft. Take a look at the transcript of Gates' testimony at the MS Antitrust trial.

Just a couple of examples: Gates is asked whether he was involved in discussions about trying to persuade Apple to help Microsoft undermine Sun. He denies it. Then an email from Microsoft archives is produced, from him, saying "Do we have a clear plan on what we want Apple to do to undermine Sun?".

Later, he's asked "Was it your understanding that Microsoft Office for Macintosh was believed by Apple to be very important to them?", to which he gives an evasive answer. Then another email from Microsoft archives is produced (to Gates this time), saying "Getting Apple to do anything that significantly materially disadvantages Netscape will be tough. Do you agree that Macoffice is the perfect club to use on them?

There's much, much more. Gates is caught out in lies and evasions again and again. I don't understand why he wasn't charged with, convicted of, and imprisoned for perjury as a result of his testimony during that trial. Maybe a lawyer can explain? Or did he just have too many friends in the Administration?

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MS Threatens S. Korea & "Just Say No to Microsoft"
Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, October 30 2005 @ 09:48 AM EST
Is there a chance that M$ are not really 'selling' software licenses to
consumers ? That their business model is really 'selling' DRM-managed DVD
players and the like (bums on seats) to the MPAA and RIAA ?
Linux can do pretty much everything Windows can do, except play DRM'ed DVDs. And
I don't know about you, but I already have more Windows licenses than I can use.
The beneficiaries of extra Windows licenses are maybe the purveyors of copyright
songs and movies. Maybe they are the ones paying M$.
If so, the 'licenses' that the computer OEMs 'buy' might be changing hands for
$0 ... no-one seems to know the real price, but the observation on Dell suggests
$-100 ... and the important thing for M$ would be to count the number of them so
they could invoice the MPAA for the right amount.
And if that was true, M$ would be commercially right to stop supplying Windows
in South Korea if they weren't allowed to supply MediaPlayer with it.

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MS Threatens S. Korea & "Just Say No to Microsoft"
Authored by: Anonymous on Sunday, October 30 2005 @ 05:08 PM EST
Two words: Linux and OpenOffice -- Add other open-source apps for your own
custom answer. South Korea can tell Microsoft to stick it!

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Coincidentally...
Authored by: twhlai on Monday, October 31 2005 @ 10:53 AM EST
A beta version of WINE finally came out a few days ago. For those who aren't
familiar with WINE, it's an open-source Windows API implementation for Linux and
other OSes.

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