Palm vs Microsoft.

[ctitanic]

Palms says that "Microsoft is already engaging in actions designed to unfairly extend its personal computing operating system ("PC OS") monopoly into the mobile computing market by eliminating competition and preventing free customer choice.

1. Microsoft has refused Palm access to information and software interfaces necessary to enable Palm to make its products interoperable with certain Microsoft products and technologies, including some elements of Microsoft's .NET software;

2. Microsoft has prevented Palm from working with Microsoft's software development tools (Microsoft Visual Studio);

3. Microsoft has refused to make Microsoft Internet Explorer operate on Palm OS handhelds; and

4. In exchange for addressing some of these issues, Microsoft has attempted to coerce Palm into deploying Microsoft .NET software on Palm handhelds under terms that would put the Palm OS business at a prohibitive disadvantage.

Microsoft has also already exhibited its intent to foreclose companies such as Palm by breaking interoperability with its products. Bill Gates himself directed his staff to alter Microsoft products to ensure that Microsoft's "PDA will connect to Office in a better way than other PDAs even if that means changing how we do flexible schema in Outlook and how we tie some of our audio and video advanced work to only run on our PDAs.""

Link (www.pc-counselor.8m.com/#palmvsmicrosoft)

8O

[spg]

I do belive Palm has some points there. Those type of actions are exactly what we do not need in the PDA industry. I would have to say that if they could come up with evidence Palm has a good chance of winning this case. I just wish we could all get along in the industry, the last thing we need is a lawsuit to hold up innovation even more!

[Dave Conger]

I think you left out one option...both. I don't really want to see one win or the other. It isn't really about "winning" because if Microsoft loses Palm they might not innovate as much and loose customers. If Palm loses MS, then they don't really have there reason for making a more multimedia OS.

[spg]

I think you left out one option...both. I don't really want to see one win or the other. It isn't really about "winning" because if Microsoft loses Palm they might not innovate as much and loose customers. If Palm loses MS, then they don't really have there reason for making a more multimedia OS.


Very true, that was one reason I said a lawsuit would hold up innovation. I wish everyone would just leave the competition be and push innovation, not domanation. The best innovator should also be the one with the largest market share, it should be that one company can push the other out of business by limiting them.

[Dave Conger]

The best innovator should also be the one with the largest market share, it should be that one company can push the other out of business by limiting them.


The best innovator will come out with the largest market share. People aren't stupid, they will by something that is new and different over something that is old and the same. I don't know that one company will push the other out of business, but it will definatly cause the other company to rethink things and invoate. Look at what Pocket PC is doing to the Palm OS...

[spg]

The best innovator should also be the one with the largest market share, it should be that one company can push the other out of business by limiting them.


The best innovator will come out with the largest market share. People aren't stupid, they will by something that is new and different over something that is old and the same. I don't know that one company will push the other out of business, but it will definatly cause the other company to rethink things and invoate. Look at what Pocket PC is doing to the Palm OS...


Opps, I didn't mean "it should be that one company can push the other out of business by limiting them." It was supposed to be "it SHOULDN'T be that one company can push the other out of business by limiting them." And yes I can see your point there, but if one company is innovating more and the other pushes them out by limiting what they can do that is a monopoly. Now I am not saying Palm is innovating more, as the matter of fact they aren't. I am just pushing fair competition were the innovator wins.

[Chubbergott]

2. Microsoft has prevented Palm from working with Microsoft's software development tools (Microsoft Visual Studio);


I agree that Micro$oft have as much of adherence to fair play and honesty as Robert Mugabe.... but what's stopping Palm from nipping down PCWorld and buying a copy of Visual Studio?

[speter]

3. Microsoft has refused to make Microsoft Internet Explorer operate on Palm OS handhelds;


And how much Palm stuff has Palm ported to PocketPC?

[Dave Conger]

3. Microsoft has refused to make Microsoft Internet Explorer operate on Palm OS handhelds;


And how much Palm stuff has Palm ported to PocketPC?


I was going to say what are you talking about...but now I realize your point. Though, MS has ported some of its apps for Mac. This would be a similar situation except that in MS vs. Mac, MS has the upper hand, and in MS vs. Palm, Palm still has the upper hand (sales wise). So in a different situation (say a couple years down the road), MS might port their IE to Palm just to throw the Microsoft name into the "Palm mix."

[Aceze]

Where's the option for "Neither"?

Aceze

[Dave Conger]

Where's the option for "Neither"?


Chances are one will "win" the suit, but then in a couple months there will probably be another suit going the other direction...