>From EduPage: JAPAN TO MICROSOFT: UNBUNDLE YOUR SOFTWARE Japan's Fair Trade Commission has ruled that Microsoft has engaged in unfair business practices, in violation of that country's anti-monopoly laws, by bundling word processing and spreadsheet software that was pre-installed in personal computers. Microsoft does not believe it violated any laws, and says it has already stopped the practices cited by the FTC. (Associated,Press 20 Nov 98) Commentary: I was wondering about this very thing this weekend ... reading the ads for "new PCs" with all that "bundled MSFT software" [$1200 in MSFT software Free!, for example] How do the OEMs decide which word processor, spreadsheet, etc. to include? When my girlfriend got a new laptop in the spring, the only mainstream nonMSFT software bundled was Quicken, and it's a no-brainer [ie, market leader]. Now that Apple has spun off Claris -- is there any OS manufacturer who also has "business productivity" software? Curious here - don't flame me! kathy > Kathy E. Gill > DCAC/MRM Production Visibility Support -- 425.234.2004, pager 425.568.0195 > Continuous effort -- not strength or intelligence -- is the key to > unlocking our potential. > ~ Liane Cardes > Microsoft Exchange: the perfect name for its users' greatest desire! > ____________________________________________________________________ -------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Web Consultants Association : Register on our web site Now Web Consultants Web Site : http://just4u.com/webconsultants If you lose the instructions All subscription/unsubscribing can be done directly from our website for all our lists. ---------------------------------------------------------------------
