Microsoft critic allegedly received $10 million

When Microsoft settled its antitrust battle with the Computer & Communications Industry Association earlier this month, the CCIA's top executive--an outspoken critic of Microsoft--was paid nearly $10 million, the Financial Times has reported.

According to the documents seen by the London-based Financial Times, Ed Black, chief executive officer of the CCIA, took half of the $19.75 million payment Microsoft made to the association. The payment was approved by the board of the CCIA, the newspaper said.

Photo: McCullagh

Ed Black, the CCIA's
chief executive

A Microsoft spokeswoman told Silicon.com that while the company made the payment to the association, it did not have any part in saying how the money was distributed after it was paid.

"It was, of course, up to the CCIA board to decide how to use the money it received from us, and we had no involvement at all in that process," she said.

The CCIA declined to comment.

However, when Microsoft and the CCIA announced the settlement on Nov. 8, the software giant may have intended the cash for lawyers' pockets, not Black's. The spokeswoman said: "Microsoft agreed to make a payment to CCIA as an organization as reimbursement for certain legal and related expenditures that it had incurred."

As part of the settlement, the CCIA agreed to drop its antitrust suit against Microsoft, which had alleged that Windows XP was anticompetitive. It also agreed to drop out of acting for the European Commission in its antitrust case against the software maker. The Commission ruled that Microsoft should sell a version of Windows without its media player software bundled in and pay a record fine. Microsoft has paid the $600 million fine but has asked that the rest of the penalty be suspended pending its appeal.

The EU lost another of its antitrust backers on Nov. 8, when Novell withdrew its support after settling with Microsoft for $536 million.

Jo Best of Silicon.com reported from London.

[David Arbogast]

Wow...

Looks like some of the biggest anti-MS names in the industry acutally love Microsoft... for their money. Really not funny at all to see an industry trade group that works to keep competition fair pocket the money they take from MS in a settlement. Just how much do they really care about the industry? Financial jealousy abounds.

[aabcdefghij987654321]

No less than expected.

American fairplay and justice wins through! I hope all patriotic Americans understand with this pay-off just how corrupt their system is - shame on MS - shame on you.

[tlite722]

so blind...

this was a settlement...something that happens in the legal system all the time regardless of the opposing parties legal standing, wealth, merit of the case, etc. you disdain for anything MS is so apparent. they did not create the legal system. they are just playing within its rules. if you don't like the rules then change it. BOTH parties agreed to settle regardless of who you or I believe is wrong. the real shame goes to Black and the industry association's board that would allow such a ridiculous amount go to one person. even if he was the lead attorney for the org (which i don't know if he is) that's ridiculous.

try to be objective, it makes your position more credible.

[David Arbogast]

What?????

"American fairplay and justice wins through! "

Huh?
A lawsuit was settled, and the accuser claims to work for an industry trade group, yet pockets $10Million for himself, and you suggest that justice wins?

Man... where are you living?

[Earl Benser]

Weird...

Just what did Ed Black do to be worth almost $10M? It doesn't
seem that he was that useful. The CCIA board must be
populated with certifiable idiots to go along with this deal.

But M$ continues to try to buy its way out the the EU ruling. And
with all the money M$ has, and with all the attitude that M$ has,
that's almost a mandatory approach. Ballmer may have the IQ of
a fence post, but the M$ lawyers aren't dumb.

[David Arbogast]

he did the same thing so many other do...

"Just what did Ed Black do to be worth almost $10M?"

- he hated Microsoft more than the rest of his team, probably. It is sad, when people can trade hatred for cash. I sometimes wonder just how much of the anti-Microsoft rhetoric is really based on jealousy. Everybody wants a piece of Microsoft's pie.