MS to STOP windows?
Just saw every mac user's dream posted on Spymac:
Apple wins by default (03/04/2002) (9:30 A.M. MST) posted by Webmaster from the news room.
Microsoft may threaten to discontinue the development of Windows, The Washington Post reports.
"Microsoft Corp. plans to argue in court hearings next week that if antitrust sanctions sought by state prosecutors are granted, the company would be forced to pull its latest Windows computer operating systems off the market and be unable to develop new systems."
<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33198-2002Mar3.html"; target="_blank">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33198-2002Mar3.html</a>;
Wouldn't THAT be nice?
Apple wins by default (03/04/2002) (9:30 A.M. MST) posted by Webmaster from the news room.
Microsoft may threaten to discontinue the development of Windows, The Washington Post reports.
"Microsoft Corp. plans to argue in court hearings next week that if antitrust sanctions sought by state prosecutors are granted, the company would be forced to pull its latest Windows computer operating systems off the market and be unable to develop new systems."
<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33198-2002Mar3.html"; target="_blank">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33198-2002Mar3.html</a>;
Wouldn't THAT be nice?
Comments
just a pipe dream i fear <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />
I am with my girlfriend
But think about it: Why can't Microsoft stop production of Windows if they see fit to do so? It's their product, and they have no legal obligation to keep producing it. Very interesting, indeed.
If MS really stopped selling copies of Windows, everybody would just pirate Win2000 until the cows come home (or the gov would make a Lex Windows, allowing the copying of everything Windows).
By then, Linux will have turned into something worthwile, so even the pirating won't be necessary anymore. And everybody will be chanting "Great business move, Bill!!"
[ 03-04-2002: Message edited by: amyklai ]</p>
<img src="graemlins/surprised.gif" border="0" alt="[Surprised]" /> The sanctions should not be punitive? What!?! So we should just slap them on the wrist put forth a few new rules and expect them to play along this time? It worked so well last time after all.
<strong>Imagine all of the programs that would no longer work. Imagine all of the companies that this could throw in to turmoil. How would Wall Street react? How would the government react?
But think about it: Why can't Microsoft stop production of Windows if they see fit to do so? It's their product, and they have no legal obligation to keep producing it. Very interesting, indeed.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I work in a "microsoft shop" : a company that uses MS products exclusively. If Microsoft went out of Business tomorrow we'd still be up and running. Our business would not be in turmoil and we wouldn't go bankrupt.
Yes, everything would suddenly become a "legacy" system, but we'd adapt and move everything over to a new OS and new products eventually.
I have another developer friend that works for a large drug company and they're still using NT 4. They're in the same boat. They don't even need Windows 2000 at this point because everything works fine the way it is right now.
Applications can be moved to new OS's. All those developers, like me, who write Windows apps would learn new languages (I'm already starting to learn JSP/J2EE for Unix).
The world wouldn't suddenly stop because MS wouldn't ship a new version of windows.
[ 03-04-2002: Message edited by: Willoughby ]</p>
The judge is unlikely to be impressed by that tactic. See, the "indispensible" quality is a double-edged sword. If sewer workers go on strike, they're ordered back to work almost immediately, because they're so crucial to the operation of a city that they can't stop working, and then negotiations continue. The courts could use that precedent to rule that precisely because Windows is a crucial part of the infrastructure, it can't simply be withdrawn like, say, Netscape could. Even if MS stopped selling it, they probably couldn't yank the licenses they have already sold.
It's dangerous to play hardball with an institution capable of exerting eminent domain. Especially if you're wrong.
<strong>Imagine all of the programs that would no longer work. Imagine all of the companies that this could throw in to turmoil. How would Wall Street react? How would the government react?
But think about it: Why can't Microsoft stop production of Windows if they see fit to do so? It's their product, and they have no legal obligation to keep producing it. Very interesting, indeed.</strong><hr></blockquote>
1. why would this throw anyone into turmoil. why would it stop programs from working. They're not saying they'd pull the plug on current windows installations, they're saying they'd pull the plug on new versions...
they'd continue to make office, IE, etcetera.
2. all that would come of this is good. Linux or (heaven forbid) osx-86 would take the place of windows as the default os on the next generation of pc's. People would have to adapt a bit, but, in all reality, wouldn't a *nix based world be a hell of a lot better than bluescreen hell?
They're not sayign they'd send signals ot every version of windows to self-destruct. Its not like oil or anything; people don't NEED to upgrade their computers or anything... I see this as a very good thing.
[ 03-04-2002: Message edited by: MacsRGood4U ]</p>
<strong>So you think that Microsoft does not have a right to stop making Windows then?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Oh, they certainly have the right. It's just the context in which they are making the comment that makes it so odious. MS apparently thinks that this will frighten Judge K-K enough to rule in their favor. They have no actual intention of doing so. Either they're convinced themselves that Windows is so important that withdrawing it from the market would produce an economic collapse (whether it would or not is not the point), or they think Judge K-K will think so. In any event, it is plain old Mafioso extortion:
"Listen, Judge. Sometimes accidents happen. Things break. People (or economies) get hurt. We'd sure hate to see anything unfortunate happen to you or your family (or the US economy). If you'll rule in our favor, we can help make sure those bad things don't happen - otherwise, well, you never know. So, how about just fixing this one little anti-trust case for us so we can all go back to being friends again? Capiche?"
Capiche?
It would, however, suddenly leave a lot up for grabs in the PC world. My guess is that Lindows will suddenly find itself getting a massive infusion of cash from desperate boxmakers.
I'm not sure that any of this will happen, though. The judge will probably tell Bill to grow up, in so many words.
<strong>Imagine all of the programs that would no longer work. Imagine all of the companies that this could throw in to turmoil.
</strong>
<hr></blockquote>
There might be some negative short-term effects to the economy, but, in the long-term, the economy would benefit from the increased competition. Heck, Be OS might even come alive from the dead.
[quote]Originally posted by Fran441:
<strong>But think about it: Why can't Microsoft stop production of Windows if they see fit to do so? It's their product, and they have no legal obligation to keep producing it. </strong><hr></blockquote>
Sure, they can stop selling Windows 2000 and Windows XP, but why would they want to? They wouldn't want to lose the revenue, nor would they want to open any doors for their competitors. Microsoft won't stop selling Windows 2000 and Windows XP unless they're ordered to. This is just a poorly veiled threat.
[ 03-04-2002: Message edited by: Brian J. ]</p>
"Screw with us and we'll take our toys home. "
I would love to see bill sweat if they did lose, or if the judge said 'fine, take the OS off the shevles" but Bill would probably say something about destroying the economy or something falsely dramatic.