Hi,

I'd really like to know what the states expect to prove with the code. Some people here seem delighted with this latest courtroom development. Perhaps they could answer?

If you'd read the [link|http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/industry/02/16/microsoft.code.reut/index.html|CNN] story at the head of this thread about CKK's ruling, and a [link|http://www.washtech.com/news/regulation/15173-1.html|Washtech] story about the request, you'dl see the states' arguments.

Washtech:
"Microsoft cannot base its defense on the design of its source code and simultaneously deny the litigating states the opportunity to test those arguments by interrogating the code," the states said in their filing.


CNN:
Nine state attorneys general had argued that they needed to see the Windows source code in order to verify Microsoft's claim it could not offer a simpler version of the Windows personal computer operating system, stripped of features like the Internet Explorer browser.

"It seems to me that if your side has access to it, then the other side, frankly, should have access to it," United States District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly told Microsoft's lawyers in a conference call with attorneys from both sides.

[...]

An appeals court in June agreed with a lower court that Microsoft had illegally maintained its monopoly in personal computer operating systems, but rejected splitting the company in two to prevent future violations.

Among the illegal tactics cited by the court was the "commingling" of the Windows source code with add-on programs.


Seems emminently reasonable to me.

Cheers,
Scott.