Bill Gates Testifies In Anti-Trust Case

[RudeDawg]

Here's the story:

Gates Says Penalties Would Hurt Windows

Again, NY Times requires a free registration.

The states want U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to force Microsoft to create a modular version of Windows that could incorporate competitors' features. Gates also echoed arguments by Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer that a modular Windows requirement is impossible to engineer and would force the company to pull Windows off the market.

Boldface mine... I said it when this case started, Gates would threaten to "take his toys and go home." He's going to threaten to pull Windoze, AND previous licenses. It's blackmail. AND, M$ will get away with.

[ 04-22-2002, 06:39 PM: Message edited by: RudeDawg ]

[andrewas]

Can he pull previous licenses? As in make already-sold copies of windows illegal? Or am I reading you wrong?

If he can :- can the whole world switch out of Microsoft products?

Certainly the alternatives can do the job, but certain hardware *cough*cannon printers*cough* dosent like linux etc.

Not that it will ever happen - with Microsoft in its current monopolistic position it has a considerable amount of power so it will never be forced to do anything it dosent want.

[RudeDawg]

Originally posted by andrewas: Can he pull previous licenses? As in make already-sold copies of windows illegal? Or am I reading you wrong?

Legally? YES, M$ can pull previous licenses. You agreed to hold a temporary license when you clicked YES on the install screen.

Ethically? M$ doesn't care about ethics. They have proven that it is profitable to be an @$$hole.

If he can :- can the whole world switch out of Microsoft products? Certainly the alternatives can do the job, but certain hardware *cough*cannon printers*cough* dosent like linux etc.

YES, the world can switch, but it will be inconvenient. As you mentioned, Linux is an alternative, as are Macs... Open Source was set into place to keep this from happening.

Not that it will ever happen - with Microsoft in its current monopolistic position it has a considerable amount of power so it will never be forced to do anything it dosent want.

It's happening now.

[ 04-22-2002, 07:34 PM: Message edited by: RudeDawg ]

[Charean]

It really isn't all that surprising, really. Think about it. Bill Gates has all the power... in essence a monopoly. He has business and government in the palm of his hot little hands. Congress will cave... but try not to make it LOOK like they did.

I have spent too long inside the beltway (aka Washington DC) to know how it works. If the cost is too high, they will back off. Hillary's health plan is an excellent example of this: she wanted to provide health care for EVERYONE... but they balked when it came to paying up.

If Microsoft wins this... Bill Gates will become richer.

[WOLFGIR]

Problem as I see it is that if one man leaves, you will soon have another one followin ght e footprints, and in a couple of years we will have the same problems again. Now will we swear that Steve Jobs is the devil? Linus Torval??

As long as money is in the picture, the face will always change, but the value remain. Nothing new under the sun, just same old shit stinking... :S

[Chewbacca]

I'll call his bluff, and I bet the right judge would as well. Part of the penalties could include a prohibition of yanking old licences. anyway, bill gates seems like a big selfish whiner if ask me. I dont know the guy, but I think its odd that someone with all those resources would call making windows modular "impossible". If ask me he just cant admit when he is wrong.