4 ms·

Isn't it the case that you can order from some of the more popular OEMs with Linux pre-installed, and they won't charge you the Microsoft licensing fee? I think

Isn't it the case that you can order from some of the more popular OEMs with Linux pre-installed, and they won't charge you the Microsoft licensing fee? I think Dell and Lenovo do this? Maybe they do charge the Microsoft fee anyway, but I'd be a bit surprised if they didn't fix that issue.

belter 5y ago
Its still the case that if you are an OEM vendor, you need to make sure your hardware plays nice with the new versions of Windows. You better "cooperate". Its difficult to describe all the behaviors they were engaged in. "...The Complaint alleges that Microsoft has used its monopoly power to induce PC manufacturers to enter into anticompetitive, long-term licenses under which they must pay Microsoft not only when they sell PCs containing Microsoft's operating systems, but also when they sell PCs containing non-Microsoft operating systems..." https://www.justice.gov/atr/competitive-impact-statement-us-v-microsoft-corporation https://www.justice.gov/atr/competitive-impact-statement-us-... As a reminder...They lost their case "United States v. Microsoft Corp." and June 7, 2000, the court ordered a breakup of Microsoft. They would have to be broken into two separate units, one to produce the operating system, and one to produce other software components. This was overturned on appeal on what can be only described as technicalities... The Judge said: "...Microsoft proved, time and time again, to be inaccurate, misleading, evasive, and transparently false. ... Microsoft is a company with an institutional disdain for both the truth and for rules of law that lesser entities must respect. It is also a company whose senior management is not averse to offering specious testimony to support spurious defenses to claims of its wrongdoing." Politics changes in the US and the power of lobbying made everything to end up in a settlement that for most Microsoft has been ignoring or forgetting about.That is how much it took to make them open "some" API's This one from the EU is one of the best overviews: "Microsoft: A History of Anticompetitive Behavior and Consumer Harm" http://www.ecis.eu/documents/Finalversion_Consumerchoicepaper.pdf http://www.ecis.eu/documents/Finalversion_Consumerchoicepape... I heard their ex-CEO is into vaccines now ;-)

belter 5y ago

Its still the case that if you are an OEM vendor, you need to make sure your hardware plays nice with the new versions of Windows. You better "cooperate". Its difficult to describe all the behaviors they were engaged in. "...The Complaint alleges that Microsoft has used its monopoly power to induce PC manufacturers to enter into anticompetitive, long-term licenses under which they must pay Microsoft not only when they sell PCs containing Microsoft's operating systems, but also when they sell PCs containing non-Microsoft operating systems..." https://www.justice.gov/atr/competitive-impact-statement-us-v-microsoft-corporation https://www.justice.gov/atr/competitive-impact-statement-us-... As a reminder...They lost their case "United States v. Microsoft Corp." and June 7, 2000, the court ordered a breakup of Microsoft. They would have to be broken into two separate units, one to produce the operating system, and one to produce other software components. This was overturned on appeal on what can be only described as technicalities... The Judge said: "...Microsoft proved, time and time again, to be inaccurate, misleading, evasive, and transparently false. ... Microsoft is a company with an institutional disdain for both the truth and for rules of law that lesser entities must respect. It is also a company whose senior management is not averse to offering specious testimony to support spurious defenses to claims of its wrongdoing." Politics changes in the US and the power of lobbying made everything to end up in a settlement that for most Microsoft has been ignoring or forgetting about.That is how much it took to make them open "some" API's This one from the EU is one of the best overviews: "Microsoft: A History of Anticompetitive Behavior and Consumer Harm" http://www.ecis.eu/documents/Finalversion_Consumerchoicepaper.pdf http://www.ecis.eu/documents/Finalversion_Consumerchoicepape... I heard their ex-CEO is into vaccines now ;-)