States want court oversight of Microsoft for another five years

Even with its highly visible attempts to clean up its image, "embrace" open standards and play "nice" with the Linux kids, Microsoft is still in the dog house as far as a California-led coalition of states is concerned. They want to extend court oversight of Microsoft, which is currently set to expire this November, for another five years, to make sure the software giant continues to comply with the anti-trust settlement reached back in 2002. Connecticut, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia are all in on the action, no word yet on how it'll all play out.

[andrews @ Sep 11th 2007 2:03PM]

When will people finally leave microsoft alone? I mean, they are the ones who brought us into the "digital age," and all the Linux whiners and company have done nothing but complain that since they are not as good at programming as the microsoft guys, microsoft must be evil. Give it a rest!

[LJKelley @ Sep 11th 2007 2:06PM]

What for? Apple shoves Safari and iTunes down purchasers throats, Ubuntu comes with Firefox installed!

I still don't get it. Microsoft bundling Microsoft with Microsoft... all companies do that. And there was never any proof that RealPlayer or Netscape was sabatoged on Windows. Should I sue Sony for forcing a ton of Sony Applications and MemoryStick on me when I bought my vaio? They even put a link to the Connect store... How DARE THEY! It so uncompetitive to iTunes or Rhapsody!

[LikeISeeEm @ Sep 11th 2007 7:27PM]

You Sir, are an idiot. As ass of epic proportions. A blind dum dum. Most likely, a Bush supporter too.

that is all.

[LJKelley @ Sep 11th 2007 2:17PM]

LOL... thanx for the name calling. And for the record I don't support Bush. In fact I'm quite liberal. That doesn't mean I am brainwashed into supporting a certain mentality. There are more than 2 kinds of people in this world! The world isn't devided by Democrat vs. Republican.

If your only rebutal is name calling... well that is pretty lame.

[Eugene @ Sep 11th 2007 2:20PM]

@ likeiseeem

What bug crawled up your ass? The guy asked why MS is being punished for bundling software when other companies do similar things, if there's a difference why don't you try explaining that difference instead of resorting to childish name calling?

[Steve Roberts @ Sep 11th 2007 4:19PM]

I find it hard to justify continuing this myself...
It served its purpose and allowed other providers to catch up, but now MS is unable to put features in its OS that are a standard part of other operating systems.
This whole deal hit a low point for me when MS had to reduce security on vista to ensure that third party antivirus programs could still be run.

If a competitor can build something into the software, MS should be able to as well. Apple, for example, has gone far beyond the original complaint against MS (tying near-monopoly products with other systems so that success in one requires the other), but they have only recently begun to come under scrutiny.

[newgalactic @ Sep 11th 2007 2:18PM]

I love the smile on Bill's face. I'm curious what is behind it though. Is Admiration for what he sees as a fellow "renegade", trying to change the world. Or is it just a well practiced mask hiding his contempt and desire to "squash that little punk into nonexistence".

[Dean @ Sep 11th 2007 2:21PM]

I don't know why everyone is always up in arms with microsoft, they are just a corporation making money, if they weren't then they wouldn't exist at all. Its not a matter of them using microsoft only software or whatnot, people complain about having to pay for software. I personally run linux as well as vista, and i love them both. No one is making anyone use microsoft software, if you don't wnat it, don't buy it, if you don't want it pre-installed, well you probably should get some knowhow on how to build your own machine and install a free OS. It is time that people stop complaining, and actually do something like stop using their software.

[Joshua @ Sep 11th 2007 4:49PM]

I think you miss the point, Dean. Buying a machine off the shelf with Windows pre-installed versus building one yourself from scratch and installing a free OS isn't exactly a level playing field. The average computer user would not have the knowledge to do this. Microsoft therefore has a major advantage of convenience over self built Linux boxes and together with such a dominant market share, MS should not be in a position to *abuse* their position.

[John @ Sep 11th 2007 6:58PM]

unless MS has some deal where twist computer retailer's arms to have windows preinstalled, I don't see how computers coming with Windows on them is their fault. And if it is, then I've yet to see Apple selling anything but their own OS on their computers... talk about "bundling", buy a Macbook and you get Mac OS, Safari, Quicktime, iTunes...

[geezer @ Sep 11th 2007 2:28PM]

Gates looks like: "poor sad little kid..." :D

[Steve Moseley @ Sep 11th 2007 3:24PM]

Guy to the right of the girl is thinking:

a) Too tired....task master gates makes me slave away in my monochrome colored, wood-laminate cubicle reverse-engineering latest trends to re-package as proprietary software.....tired...sleep

or

b) Hmmmmm....donuts.

I can't tell.

[Rich @ Sep 11th 2007 7:18PM]

Hmm.. Where is Apple based? California? I wonder who is paying the politicians to push this one? lol

[auxlepli @ Sep 11th 2007 4:20PM]

andrews ... I couldn't help to think of Douglas Adams quote when I read your post.
"The idea that Bill Gates has appeared like a knight in shining armour to lead all customers out of a mire of technological chaos neatly ignores the fact that it was he who, by peddling second-rate technology, led them into it in the first place."

[andrews @ Sep 12th 2007 11:54AM]

I am curious though, does the fact that somebody said this make it true?

[James @ Sep 19th 2007 7:53PM]

if "somebody" is Douglas Adams, yes.

[Kemacal @ Sep 11th 2007 4:27PM]

Gates is looking at the guy with the sign thinking...Who invited the Linux penguin?!