Rivals Fault Microsoft Over Secrecy

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Ian Hopper <ihopper () ap org>
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 15:49:34 -0400
To: dave () farber net
Subject: For IP: Rivals Fault Microsoft Over Secrecy

http://wire.ap.org/APnews/main.html?FRONTID=TECHNOLOGY&STORYID=APIS7MMS3
GG0

As Microsoft waits for an antitrust ruling, competitors say company is
up to old tricks 

By D. IAN HOPPER 
AP Technology Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - As Microsoft awaits court approval of its landmark
antitrust settlement with the government, the company has angered some
competitors by tightly limiting the technical data it promised to
release. 

Microsoft says the restrictions are normal for the software industry and
do not violate the terms of the settlement. But competitors contend that
Microsoft's actions are reminiscent of the behavior that led to the
antitrust case and reinforce their claim that the entire settlement is
inadequate. 

``It has done nothing to level the playing field,'' said Mark Webbink,
general counsel for Red Hat, which sells a version of the Linux
operating system that competes with Microsoft's Windows.

Deborah Majoras, the Justice Department's deputy attorney general for
antitrust, said her office is aware of the concerns and is closely
looking at them. 

Jim Kulbaski, an outside lawyer hired by nine states that joined the
settlement, said he is also examining the issue. ``These issues are not
being taken lightly,'' Kulbaski said.

...


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