State questions Microsoft search plans

Massachusetts said Wednesday that it is continuing to investigate whether Microsoft is unlawfully wielding its desktop dominance in its plans to enter the red-hot search engine market. The state, the only one still pursuing antitrust claims against Microsoft, said in a legal filing that it is still reviewing "issues regarding Internet search engines, document format programs, and other functionalities that Microsoft allegedly plans to incorporate into the next version of its Windows operating system." Microsoft has said that it plans to release a new search engine in the next year and embed better search features in its next-generation Longhorn operating system.

A federal appeals court is weighing Massachusetts' appeal to a final ruling by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly that approved a settlement deal and effectively ended the long-running antitrust case. In its legal filing, Massachusetts took a swipe at the settlement, saying its "competitive impact" in some areas appears to be "essentially nonexistent."

[HughT]

Microsoft cheating?

Isn't it marvelous in that great land of hypocrisy (or is that democracy) that only one faint voice is heard questioning the tactics of Microsoft. The State of Massachusetts is questioning the motives and tactics involved in their latest move into the search engine field. This after they have already done the same thing with their web browser, email client, instant messaging, and media player. Now how could anyone doubt Microsoft's motives and tactics. They have destroyed almost all competition in the computer field and with the support of the US govt. and their victimized tax payers will continue until they rule the world (computer world at least)
Keep up the good work Massachusetts and good luck!

[Michael Grogan]

Just another commodity

Microsoft will win this one too. They demonstrated
long ago that our courts are just another commodity for sale to the highest bidder.