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

Fri Jan 11 15:06:12 MST 2002

wow, I hadn't thought about that... See, this is why I post to this list. It's good to get that info

On Fri, 11 Jan 2002 15:00:54 -0700
Eric Brunson <brunson at level3.net> wrote:

> 
> 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
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