Microsoft Apologizes for Previous Anticompetitive Acts

[TacticalPeek]

Microsoft Apologizes for Previous Anticompetitive Acts

By Joshua Freed The Associated Press
Published: Mar 17, 2004

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Microsoft Corp. apologized to jurors for its past anticompetitive practices during opening statements Wednesday in a case alleging the company's antitrust violations include word processing and spreadsheet software.

"Yes, we acknowledge that and we apologize for it," said David Tulchin, a Microsoft attorney. "The conduct involved competition that went over the line. The question for you is whether or not consumers were overcharged."

snip

The plaintiffs began their case on Tuesday with videotaped testimony from former Microsoft executive Phil Barrett, who talked about a memo from Gates directing software engineers to find a way for Windows to tell whether the underlying operating system was Microsoft's or a competitor's. Early versions of Windows required a DOS operating system, typically purchased separately.

Testimony from Barrett outlined during opening statements said Microsoft sought a way to have Windows warn users that it might not be compatible with non-compatible operating systems.

Barrett said in the May 17, 2002, testimony that Microsoft's MS-DOS was nearly identical to the competitor, DR-DOS. It countered Microsoft's efforts to portray DR-DOS as incompatible with Windows.



more
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGALIS16YRD.html


Bwahahahahahah!

[Gman]

1. Yeah, Microsoft is so sorry it is doing this with the SCO lawsuits:

http://www.opensource.org/halloween/halloween10.html

Microsoft has pumped over $80 million into SCO that is suing IBM and others over Linux.

[unblock]

2. so anticompetitive behavior is ok

as long as consumers don't pay more. if all that happens is that the consumer's money winds up in the monopolist's hands instead of the hands of the vendors that actually EARNED it, then that's cool, right?

ah, laissez-faire capitalism at its finest. also known as THEFT.

[uberotto]

3. But when Bill Gates wrote the email about Netscape...

when he suggested they find a way to "knife the baby", they sounded like such kind and generous people...

Now I find out that Microsoft really is a cruel, destructive Monopoly. I just can't believe it...

History has taught us two important facts about Microsoft, they cannot innovate and they cannot compete. Every time they have tried either, they failed miserably. So how many people here remember Microsoft "Bob"?

[emulatorloo]

6. But they are sorry now! We should support them by buying more of their

bloated crappy bug-ridden security-breaching illogical annoying anti-intuitive software.

PS I remember Bob - he died and was reborn as Clippy/Windows XP window side bars telling me what I need to do.

[theoceansnerves]

4. but!

john stossel says regulation is bad! microsoft's anticompetitve actions are good for the country-- why are they apologizing?!

[daleo]

5. Bill G. - Sure we did some monopolistic things

But it's not helpful to dwell on the past - it's time to move on!