What else could the govt possibly want now? Per news stories quoting "anonymous sources" (btw, for all of Posner's warnings, it looks like there are plenty of loose lips, probably on both sides), we have:
1) Uniform pricing
2) Open up Windows source code (a HUGE concession by MS)
3) Unbundling of IE 5.0 (a big concession by MS, though largely symbolic, since both Netscape and IE are free).
The only thing left would seem to be a breakup of the company, which Ballmer recently called "irresponsible and reckless". However, what diff would it make if the company were to be broken up into two entities, one being apps and the other being OS? I don't see any negative for MSFT there, since they already apparently have agreed to open up the source code. Thus, keeping the MS-Office team under the company tent wouldn't have any great advantage.
I hate for MSFT to have to cave in to every demand of the DOJ, but let's just presume that Gates/Ballmer agree to a two entity split. THEN what more could the DOJ want??
IMO, if the DOJ summarily rejects huge concessions by MSFT as "inadequate", the public tide will surge even further against the DOJ, and very possibly cause permanent damage to the careers of the DOJ officials involved.
If the case continues to be mired down by one-sided judgements by the DOJ and appeals by MSFT, there will be no heros; instead the opposite will happen. Why is our govt so wasteful of taxpayer's money? They think its their money to begin with, is why. |
