Post #1,746
7/13/01 4:23:52 PM
|
Yawn...and they'll move to another country..
honest.
I wouldn't mind hearing this one or twice...but it's boring in the end. Moving to another country would not help Microsoft.
In the end, the only thing that keeps Microsoft going is the fact that it can depend on US law to prevent 'unauthorized' copying. Furthermore, US law is what allows the BSA and other groups to go after people creating unauthorized copies.
Without US law, Gates can't collect a cent.
And does ANYONE really think that the US is still going to push & punish those who copy Microsoft Office when MS goes out of the country?
(It might, but it'll have to pay a LOT more than it has to US politicians to get them to stay on it's side.) Frankly, if MS leave, my opinion would be, screw 'em...let's 'em invade if they want the money that badly.
So moving out of the country is out. (Irregardless of what MS says.)
I sincerely doubt that a break up will occur...however, at this point, it would be very easy for the courts to say that OEM's can add/remove/configure Microsoft software in any way, shape, or form. This hurt MS worse than any fine. (And it'll help consumers.)
I also am hoping for (but not expecting) that the courts will rule that MS's software can be resold...that MS does not get the option to say that the software can be used only as they say.... of all options, it would benefit the consumer the most...but I don't expect to see it.
In the meantime...I'll keep playing with my Linux box.
|
Post #1,753
7/13/01 4:59:19 PM
|
Not really the issue.
The *big* issue, if they're not in the US... then its Department of Commerce that's involved.
And if Microsoft thinks that Netscape and Sun and etc can run to the DoJ NOW and get action, They Ain't Seen What DoC do.
And DoC ain't gotta do things "legal", either. Their process is slanted towards the complainant, and its up to the respondant to prove beyond a possible doubt that its wrong. :)
(Example: Company is making high-performance somethings. They put out a big and its won by a Japanese steel place. US Steel goes to DoC, and gets that stopped - despite the fact that they are not CAPABLE of delivering the purity and tolerances required. They merely say that they MIGHT be able to do that, and DoC orders the company to award them the contract. 2 years later, not a single shipment that meets the specs (that the Japanese firm was able to easily), the first company bellies up under the lawsuits they're under for failure to deliver....)
*THAT'S* What I'd be worried about. :) DoC allows farmers (the big corporate ones) to "estimate" what it cost foreign growers, and then decide "how much" profit is allowable... (In one instance I read about, Mexican fruit was declared to be "dumping" since the farmers _likely_ had 3 children each, who would have worked 40 hours, unpaid......)
I Don't Think M$ Wants to Face Sun Down, Down There.
Without US law, Gates can't collect a cent.
That law doesn't change.
When StarOffice was German, when Linux was in Finland, US copywrite law still protected them. And it'll still protect Windows and other Microsoft possessions even if they leave.
What it *will* do is *kill them* for the big, backend financial, travel, etc stuff that they want to do.
Those are the biggies. As well as the slight problem of getting the bandwidth that they enjoy in Redmond in Ecuador. :)
Addison
|
Post #1,755
7/13/01 5:06:53 PM
|
I doubt they'll leave either.
I think Bob was just throwing that in for laugh value.
One of MS's major power bases is in its stock value. Could they be listed on NASDAQ if they weren't a US company? I know that things like ADRs (American Depository Receipts or some such thing) lets foreign corporations list on US markets, but those listings are done by companies which also have a US presence - AFAIK. If MS was trying to run away, then I'd think it wouldn't want a US presence. But I'm just speculating...
MS is big enough that I'm sure NASDAQ would do whatever was possible to change the rules for it...
I don't expect a breakup either, but believe it's still on the table (depending on the judge who gets the case).
I also am hoping for (but not expecting) that the courts will rule that MS's software can be resold...that MS does not get the option to say that the software can be used only as they say.... of all options, it would benefit the consumer the most...but I don't expect to see it.
That indeed would be a very big help to consumers. But I'd think it would take some sort of action which extends beyond the MS case for that to happen. An act of congress or something restricting the terms which can be imposed on software licenses.
Cheers,
Scott.
|
Post #1,759
7/13/01 5:35:07 PM
|
Re: I doubt they'll leave either.
I think Bob was just throwing that in for laugh value
I took it as implying that they've got a leak on the team looking into it.
And I fully believe that. The leak, and the team.
Remember, this is Bill Gates we're talking about here. Damn straight he'd think of that. And probably, he'll get humored, more than argued with, at least until it gets more serious.
Fine, go ahead, look into it.
Run from the cops... see if it doesn't make them look more guilty and less ethical.
I don't expect a breakup either, but believe it's still on the table (depending on the judge who gets the case).
I'm hoping the DoJ and the remaining states will do something EFFECTIVE this time.
Microsoft's behavior in the interim should be a major part of the next remedy phase.
I still think, to be effective, they've got to be split:
Operating System
Internet (Server Apps)
Apps (Desktop)
Hardware
Multimedia
And maybe an "Enterprise", with the "Hailstorm" sort of stuff.
And I'd even let them pick how to split things, with some oversight.
Cept IE would go with the OS team, based on sworn testimony. :)
*That* would be effective, and force Microsoft to compete with people, disseminate information about interfaces, etc.
Addison
|
Post #1,790
7/13/01 11:37:28 PM
|
So Microsoft has moved to . . .
. . Paraguay (always popular with defeated war criminals). Now, if I were IBM, I'd pay off Serenity Systems, slap a Warp 5 label on the product and sue DoD and GSA over the "Buy American Act".
Holding the only viable desktop operating system with a "Made in USA" label on it should be worth a little something. The only viable competitor would be suspect due to close association with foreign powers (but is also sold by IBM just in case you are a One Worlder International Communist Vegitarian).
Microsoft would be forced to have their CDs stamped in the U.S. so they could claim "substantial American content", but I don't think that'd hold up in court unless they sell the package for under a dollar.
[link|www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
|
Post #1,910
7/16/01 10:52:45 AM
|
Hell, IBM wouldn't even have to...
I mean, Serenity's an American company. There'd be no reason why IBM wouldn't be able to benefit greatly from the relationship between the two companies, without having to deal with a lot of the support issues involved, and which they've always kinda sucked at anyway.
--
----------------------------------------------------------
* Jack Troughton jake at jakesplace.dhs.org *
* [link|http://jakesplace.dhs.org|[link|http://jakesplace.dhs.org|http://jakesplace.dhs.org]] [link|ftp://jakesplace.dhs.org|[link|ftp://jakesplace.dhs.org|ftp://jakesplace.dhs.org]] *
* Montr\ufffdal PQ Canada [link|news://jakesplace.dhs.org|news://jakesplace.dhs.org] *
----------------------------------------------------------
|
Post #2,019
7/17/01 3:25:31 AM
|
Tsk tsk, overlooking some things
In the end, the only thing that keeps Microsoft going is the fact that it can depend on US law to prevent 'unauthorized' copying. Furthermore, US law is what allows the BSA and other groups to go after people creating unauthorized copies.
There are other accounting things that may bring them down, like floats keeping their stock heading higher and higher and valuations of the stock options.
It may, if due diligence is done, be the accountants that bring them down. Of course, Microsoft can afford to buy off accountants faster than they can find things (as they seemingly have). Hell, I have a business major degree, I'll work as an accountant for a year or two if it would give me a paltry million or two.
French Zombies are zapping me with lasers!
|
