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____/ Richard Rasker on Friday 06 June 2008 10:05 : \____
>
> Civilized countries have a law along the lines of "openness of government",
> so that the government can be held accountable for its actions. The only
> exception allowed is "national security". And, for some strange reason,
> contracts with Microsoft:
>
>
http://blogs.savoirfairelinux.net/cyrilleberaud/2008/05/sur-ordre-de-microsoft-le-gouv.html
> http://www.groklaw.net/index.php -> News picks
>
> "A few weeks ago, we filed several access to information requests
> concerning 'umbrella contracts' the Québec government had granted to IBM,
> Novell and Microsoft.
>
> We have obtained all the information we wanted concerning IBM and Novell.
> Only Microsoft did oppose. Microsoft's lawyers say releasing these
> documents --- I quote --- "would likely risk to cause serious prejudice to
> our client and would procure the competition an appreciable advantage and
> would substantially undermine the competitivity of our client."
>
> We are speechless.... We decided to appeal this denial of access to
> information as permitted by law."
>
> So we've come to the point that "just another company" (to use the
> Wintrolls' words) can order a government to shut up about deals between the
> two -- to prevent "advantage to the competition". Um, isn't the latter
> supposed to happen? You know, public tender and all? So that the
> competitive mechanism ensures that the government (and thus the general
> public, and thus you and me) is not ripped off, scammed and otherwise
> defrauded? But no, Microsoft does't need competition, thank you very much.
> Je suis stupéfait.
>
> Richard Rasker
They have just 'pulled a BECTA'...
Pulled a BECTA: When Microsoft Uses Secrecy Terms to Hide Ripoff
Let me see if I can find the reference...
...okay, I couldn't find the incident I had in mine, but the short story is
this: BECTA not only accepts what it calls a 'bargain' from Microsoft (there's
no chance for anyone else to compete) but it also refuses to say how much it
pays. Microsoft played similar games with the OEMs to shut them up.
All of this should of course be illegal, especially when taxpayers are
involved. Then again, Microsoft laughs at words like "illegal", doesn't it?
- --
~~ Best of wishes
Roy S. Schestowitz | Windows: backward-compatible, even for viruses
http://Schestowitz.com | Open Prospects | PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
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http://iuron.com - knowledge engine, not a search engine
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