As an early result of the District Court of Appeals decisions in the Microsoft case, company President Steve Balmer has announced a few important changes in how Microsoft licenses its operating system software to its OEM customers. The easiest way to think about this is to assume that an OEM now has more flexibility to make and implement its own choices as to what will appear on a START menu, whether that menu will include Microsoft Internet Explorer, and whether to place Icons on the Windows XP Desktop (which for user interface design reasons, Microsoft has removed -- we thought of it as Windows Washing). Some of these changes will also include OEMs who are delivering Windows 98, Windows ME, and Windows 2000.

This is in reaction to the court's decision that some of Microsoft's licensing requirements, especially those involving the OEM's lack of rights to change the initial screen, were improper. Making this happen requires that some code changes be made to Windows XP, but Microsoft does not believe this will hamper its ability to deliver the product on its planned October 25 announcement date. 

This seems to indicate not just that Microsoft wants to give its OEMs planning information (which the release says), but also that Microsoft would like to indicate its interest in making appropriate accommodations so that the case can move forward to a timely settlement. Given that most companies in the technology industries have rather more basic business concerns at the moment, like how to cut costs and improve sales, removing this ongoing distraction seems to be an excellent idea, and we applaud today's announcement as a first step in the right direction. Next move, we suspect, is the government's. We wish them wisdom and speed. 

 

Home/ Search / 2005 Articles / Issue Archive / Free Newsletter

Entire contents © 2001  by Amy D. Wohl. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden.