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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Zoltan! who wrote (17895)	5/1/2000 6:00:00 PM
From: Bill	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769670

My clicker got a good workout yesterday morning.

To: Zoltan! who wrote (17895)	5/1/2000 6:31:00 PM
From: Tom Clarke	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769670

Have you seen this? The government doesn't just want Microsoft to break up, they want to take it over. Here are some their demands: * Microsoft wouldn't be able to sell computer makers discounted copies of Windows, except for foreign language translations, but would be ordered to open a "secure" lab where other firms may examine the previously internal Windows specifications. * Microsoft wouldn't be able to give discounts to hardware or software developers in exchange for promoting or distributing other company products. For instance, Microsoft would be banned from inking a discount deal with CompUSA to bundle a copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator with a Microsoft joystick. * Microsoft would have to create a new executive position and a new committee on its board of directors. The "chief compliance officer" would report to the chief executive officer and oversee a staff devoted to ensuring compliance with the new government rules * If Microsoft hoped to start discarding old emails after its bad experiences during the trial, it wouldn't be able to do so. "Microsoft shall, with the supervision of the chief compliance officer, maintain for a period of at least four years the email of all Microsoft officers, directors and managers engaged in software development, marketing, sales, and developer relations related to platform software," the government's proposed regulations say. * Microsoft would have to monitor all changes it makes to all versions of Windows and track any alterations that would slow down or "degrade the performance of" any third-party application such as Internet browsers, email client software, multimedia viewing software, instant messaging software, and voice recognition software. If it does not notify the third-party developer, criminal sanctions would apply. * State and federal government lawyers could come onto Microsoft's campus here "during office hours" to "inspect and copy" any relevant document, email message, collection of source code or other related information. * The same state and federal government lawyers would be allowed to question any Microsoft employee "without restraint or interference." wired.com