LOL - Justice Dept on MicroSoft's Music Practices

[Sun Baked]

And MS has been saying Apple is limiting consumer's music buying choices...

Thursday, Jan. 15, 2004
Microsoft Agrees to Modify Software
By TED BRIDIS AP Technology Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Microsoft Corp. has agreed under pressure to change its Windows software to resolve complaints by the Justice Department that it unfairly influenced how customers buy their music online, the government said Thursday.

Microsoft will offer updated software for its Windows XP operating system in February or March to stop its disputed practice of compelling consumers who buy music on the Web to use only Microsoft's Internet browser. The company continues to maintain its design was legal.

Government antitrust lawyers concluded that the design violated the landmark antitrust settlement approved by a federal court in October 2002....

...The Windows behavior does not affect consumers who use a rival Internet browser to directly visit other music sellers, such as Apple Computer Inc.'s new iTunes site or the Rhapsody service from Listen.com....

 

[Gymnut]

Ah the wicked web we weave. Microsoft is aliken to that kid that who got caught bloody red handed and is now trying to point fingers in all directions desperate to rid itself of some of the heat.

 

[Sun Baked]

http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/cases/f202100/202111.htm

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA


UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff,

v.

MICROSOFT CORPORATION,

Defendant.


NOTICE OF ISSUANCE OF MICROSOFT
CONSENT DECREE COMPLIANCE ADVISORY

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Plaintiff, the United States of America, will issue the attached Microsoft Consent Decree Compliance Advisory today, Thursday, January 15, 2004, by posting the Advisory on the Antitrust Division's website, <www.usdoj.gov/atr>.

[snip]

Microsoft Consent Decree Compliance Advisory — January 15 , 2004

As first announced on August 5, 2002, the United States periodically issues Microsoft Consent Decree Compliance Advisories as part of its monitoring of Microsoft's implementation of the Consent Decree agreed to by Microsoft, the United States, and nine settling Plaintiff states (as approved and entered by the Court as a Final Judgment on November 12, 2002). This is the fourth such advisory.

Section III.H of the Final Judgment requires Microsoft to allow end users and OEMs to specify a non-Microsoft middleware product — such as a web browser, e-mail client, or media player — as the default middleware product to be launched in place of Microsoft's corresponding middleware product.

As part of the Department's ongoing review of Microsoft's compliance with Section III.H, the Department has investigated a feature within Windows XP called "Shop for Music Online," which allows a user to go online to purchase music compact discs from retailers. The Department was concerned that the "Shop for Music Online" feature invokes Microsoft's Internet Explorer even when the user has chosen a different default web browser, such as Netscape, Opera or Mozilla. The Department concluded that the invocation of Internet Explorer by the 'Shop for Music Online' feature violated Section III.H of the Final Judgment. The Department discussed its concerns with Microsoft. Without necessarily agreeing with the Department's position, Microsoft has agreed to remove the override of the user's default browser contained in "Shop for Music Online." Microsoft expects to have this modification to Windows XP available to consumers in February or March, through a "Windows Update" download. The Department is strongly committed to ensuring that end users and OEMs are able to take full advantage of the opportunity afforded by the Final Judgment to choose which middleware products to use with the Windows operating system...

 

[Sayhey]

But - But, Uncle Fester told us Microsoft was all about choice?

 

[virividox]

i love lawyers tehy are sooo fun

 

[iPodmini-girl]

Windows means choice?!

Oh man, I have rarely read anything as funny as the article in which MS accused Apple of hurting consumers and limiting choice, and then claiming windows means choice! What choice is that?! Any version of windows you want maybe? Anyway, this article just makes the first one that much more unbelieveable that any MS spokesperson could say any of that crap with a straight face. I have a hard time just reading that and keeping a straight face, let alone saying it out loud...

I especially like how Microsoft says that making the lin launch IE no matter what preferences were set is ok and legal!

Mel

 

[MrMacMan]

I still think Windows is just nagwhere.

'New windows updates are ready to install'... if you click it they ask install now or later... and you can't even say
"Later: Never"

It is like maxed at like 3 days...



I can't believe the DOJ didn't let them slide like before...

 

[Sabenth]

XP is as a whole more stable and up to date but yea theres those bubbles there a bit anoying. And no you cant get rid of ie which can be anoying but most people use ie anyways so er yea..

 

[agesaun]

Thanks for reminding me, I recently upgraded to Panther and I forgot I had that crap in my apps. Just dragged it to the trash and it gone! Hows that for choice, its gone for good, not just hidden from my start menu!

 

[Counterfit]

Start menu?!?! You're a new switcher aren't you