[NCLUG] Public comments on Microsoft Anti-Trust Case Settlement requested

Fri Jan 11 15:00:54 MST 2002

I'm totally against it.

Firstly, the largest portion of the "penalty" is in licensing costs.
How much is Microsoft really losing by "donating" these licenses?
It's already been stated that these are under-privileged schools which
probably couldn't afford to by computers and software on their own.
Microsoft is simply getting increased market penetration with minimal
loss of revenue.  I seem to remember also reading that support
contracts for these schools would be negotiated and a discounted rate,
i.e. not free.  Anything they would lose in licensing they're going to
make up in support contracts.

Secondly, it's a well established marketing strategy to give software
to schools so the students learn the applications, then take that into
the marketplace when the look for a job.  Adobe has used this to great
advantage.  Ignoring the fact that PhotoShop and Illustrator are
supremely awesome applications, they give the software away to
universities so the majority of graduates know these packages.  This
encourages companies recruiting artists to use these applications
because there's no learning curve for new hires.

The CEO or RedHat made a public offer to donate the OS for these
machines *with support* and Microsoft could donate just the hardware.
This would mean more schools would get computers and Microsoft would
not be furthering their own ends.

And finally, the debate on whether or not they have a monopoly is
closed, the courts already ruled that they do.  Not only do they have
the monopoly, but they've abused it and that's why we're discussing
their punishment.

* Daniel Miles (dmiles at holly.colostate.edu) [020111 14:45]:
> Huh, you know, I'm *almost* ok with that... Schools need computers so badly and MS does make good software for total computer idiots, I think they're (MS) nice to have around for that.
> 
> Furthermore, I'm not really sure they have a monopoly, Linux is large enough that MS is a little worried about us and mac OS has just built on a BSD clone...
> 
> On Fri, 11 Jan 2002 14:29:33 -0700
> Eric Brunson <brunson at level3.net> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Last I heard they were going to donate intel hardware and "software
> > licenses valued at <insert absurdly large dollar amount here>" to
> > under-privileged schools to further cement their strangle-hold on the
> > OS market.
> > 
> > * Daniel Miles (dmiles at holly.colostate.edu) [020111 14:18]:
> > > What was the settlement exactly? I've not been paying attention.
> > > 
> > > 
> > > On Fri, 11 Jan 2002 12:37:57 -0700
> > > Evelyn Mitchell <efm at tummy.com> wrote:
> > > 
> > > > This is an opportunity for the public to comment on the settlement.
> > > > Evelyn Mitchell
> > > > efm at tummy.com
> > > > 
> > > > ----- Forwarded message from David Farber <dfarber at earthlink.net> -----
> > > > 
> > > > Delivered-From: owner-ip-sub-1-outgoing at admin.listbox.com
> > > > Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 15:34:15 -0400
> > > > From: "David Farber" <dfarber at earthlink.net>
> > > > Importance: Normal
> > > > Subject: IP: Fw: M$ Settlement: Public Comments Period Ends Soon.
> > > > To: ip-sub-1 at majordomo.pobox.com
> > > > Reply-To: farber at cis.upenn.edu
> > > > X-QMScan-UniqueID: 7ef2-3c3f3e7f-ceb82a1 at backup.tummy.com
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Seth Johnson <seth.johnson at realmeasures.dyndns.org>
> > > > Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 14:15:43 
> > > > To: C-FIT_Community at realmeasures.dyndns.org,
> > > >    C-FIT_Release_Community at realmeasures.dyndns.org, declan at well.com,
> > > >    farber at cis.upenn.edu
> > > > Subject: M$ Settlement: Public Comments Period Ends Soon.
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > (Forwarded from NY Linux Scene Hangout list,
> > > > hangout at nylxs.com
> > > > 
> > > > -------- Original Message --------
> > > > Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 10:33:17 -0800 (PST)
> > > > From: "Brendan W. McAdams" <rit at jacked-in.org>
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > For those of you not familiar with the Tunney act, there is
> > > > a 60 day public review period for all Anti-Trust Cases.  It
> > > > is important that the Government knows that the public does
> > > > NOT Approve of the Microsoft Settlement.
> > > > 
> > > > The Tunney Act mandated review period for the M$ Settlement
> > > > ends on January 28, 2002.  Please let your voice be heard;
> > > > however, please read the case documents and understand the
> > > > case and make INTELLIGENT comments before submitting.  Being
> > > > nasty, threatening, and showing you dont truly understand
> > > > the case when commenting will only weaken the standing of
> > > > consumers as a whole; proving to the government that they
> > > > are indeed protecting us from ourselves.  
> > > > 
> > > > If we are intelligent and show a true understanding of the
> > > > issue at hand, we can truly get our point across at the DOJ.
> > > > 
> > > > Info for commeting is at:
> > > > http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/cases/ms-settle.htm#submit
> > > > 
> > > > -Brendan
> > > > 
> > > > ____________________________
> > > > New Yorker Linux Users Scene
> > > > Fair Use - because it's either fair use or useless....
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > (Sent from Dave's Blackberry.)
> > > > 
> > > > For archives see:
> > > > http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
> > > > 
> > > > ----- End forwarded message -----
> > > > _______________________________________________
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> > 
> > 
> > -- 
> >  Eric Brunson   brunson at level3.net   page-eric at level3.net  
> > tcA thgirypoC muinelliM latigiD eht detaloiv tsuj evah uoY
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-- 
 Eric Brunson   brunson at level3.net   page-eric at level3.net  
tcA thgirypoC muinelliM latigiD eht detaloiv tsuj evah uoY