TO ALL:
I think this article sums up the pitiful DOJ here come the judge matter:
Technical Hearing Led To DOJ Settlement
(01/23/98; 5:02 p.m. EST)
By Stuart Glascock, Computer Reseller News
The seeds for Microsoft's preliminary injunction settlement with the
Department of Justice were planted during a contentious hearing on
technical issues last week, Microsoft's top channel executive said.
In an interview with CRN, Sam Jadallah, Microsoft vice president of
the Organization Customer Unit, said the Redmond, Wash.-based
company had closely followed U.S. District Court Judge Thomas
Penfield Jackson's instructions.
"Then, last Thursday, at the hearing to talk about the technical
arguments, we were amazed to hear the both the DOJ and the judge
were leaning toward removing the icon as an acceptable
interpretation," Jadallah said. "So, we said, 'hey, if that is what you
want,' [fine, but] it isn't what the judge asked for initially."
Although some key issues remain unresolved in the landmark case,
the agreement lets VARs and OEMs license different versions of
Windows 95 without Internet Explorer.
Plans to release Win 98 in the fourth fiscal quarter have not changed,
Jadallah said. "Windows 98 plans are on track," he said, adding.
"We'll see how thing go through the appeals for the appeal process."
The company is glad to "put the issue of compliance behind us and
get back to innovating and improving products according to customer
needs," he said. "Our core business is unchanged."
To VARs and OEMs, Jadallah's message is also unchanged.
"I still believe not much has changed for VARs," he said. "They
should still continue to supply the products customers want. Our best
products are available, which are Windows 95 and Windows NT
Workstation, with IE 4.0 giving them all the latest technologies. The
judge has asked us to supply additional options to OEMs, which we
have, but frankly we don't see that going out in high volume." |
