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Why is Microsoft Poking the EU in the Eye?
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| There's another issue, though: does this latest move amount to (yet another)
| abuse of Microsoft's dominant position in the operating systems market? Some
| would say “no”, pointing out that price reductions of this kind are precisely
| how capitalism is supposed to work. But others would say “yes”, because it
| seems to be exactly the same behaviour that got the company into trouble with
| the antitrust authorities last time.
|
| Now, I'm no expert on the niceties of this or any other kind of law, so I
| won't try to sort that one out. But one organisation that certainly does have
| plenty of legal eagles is the European Commission, which is already looking
| at other aspects of Microsoft's business practice, particularly with regard
| to open source and open standards. So I'm sure that it is now having a think
| about this latest move against free software.
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http://www.computerworlduk.com/community/blogs/index.cfm?blogid=14&entryid=775
It now turns out that a departing executive (Raikes) is joining the 'Microsoft
division' that writes the big checks (Gates Fundation [sic]) and encourages
dumping, political manipulation and other means of self-serving glorification
that harms rivals.
On the other hand, Linux is doing well on ultra-mobiles.
Using ultra-mobile Linux with a Nokia Internet Tablet (video)
,----[ Quote ]
| I'm on the go all the time, and sometimes that makes it hard to stay
| connected. I could carry my laptop with me everywhere, but that can be a
| pain, especially when I am on my bike. To meet the demands of my daily life I
| have constructed a lightweight, ultra-portable, Linux-based computing
| solution. I use a Nokia 770 tethered to a Nokia N75 mobile phone (when Wi-Fi
| is not available) and a Bluetooth PDA keyboard. This video explains the how
| and why of the solution.
`----
http://www.linux.com/feature/134806
Days ago:
Microsoft U-turn to stop Linux dominating ultra low cost PCs
,----[ Quote ]
| By offering Windows XP Home Edition at bargain prices, Microsoft hopes to
| secure its place in the ULPC market and reduce the use of Linux, according to
| an official at one PC maker, who asked not to be identified because he was
| not authorised to discuss the programme.
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http://www.computerworlduk.com/technology/hardware/laptops/news/index.cfm?newsid=9006
Microsoft to limit capabilities of cheap laptops
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft plans to offer PC makers steep discounts on Windows XP Home Edition
| to encourage them to use that OS instead of Linux on ultra low-cost PCs
| (ULPCs). To be eligible, however, the PC vendors that make ULPCs must limit
| screen sizes to 10.2 inches and hard drives to 80G bytes, and they cannot
| offer touch-screen PCs.
|
| The program is outlined in confidential documents that Microsoft sent to PC
| makers last month, and which were obtained by IDG News Service. The goal
| apparently is to limit the hardware capabilities of ULPCs so that they don't
| eat into the market for mainstream PCs running Windows Vista, something both
| Microsoft and the PC vendors would want to avoid.
|
| [...]
|
| Microsoft notes that the OSes under consideration for the devices include
| Windows and Linux. Some PC makers have expressed a preference for Linux
| because it helps them keep down the cost of the devices.
|
| [...]
|
| By offering Windows XP Home Edition at bargain prices, Microsoft hopes to
| secure its place in the ULPC market and reduce the use of Linux, according to
| an official at one PC maker, who asked not to be identified because he was
| not authorized to discuss the program.
|
| "[Low-cost PC makers] have made some good inroads with open-source, and
| Microsoft wants to put a stop to it," the official said.
|
| The official did not seem opposed to the program. It should stimulate more
| competition between Windows and Linux in the ULPC market, and it could
| invigorate sales because consumers who want an easy-to-use PC are likely to
| prefer Windows, the official said.
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http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=D04AB1F8-17A4-0F78-310F5F4479DEEE86
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