Seattle Weather Channel

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December 29, 2003 - ?
It all started dawning on Charlie Demerjian as he stood in the midnight queue for the premiere of Return of the King. The queue was long, and slow, and by the time Charlie had his ticket, his theory was well-formulated and nearly ready for print.

Microsoft had, for the first time anyone could remember, issued a 'flat' quarterly report, with no increased revenues or profits over previous quarters.

Knowing as he did that the Redmond Beast had ample cash flow and deep dark corners to hide excess revenues in - and for just this kind of emergency - it made perfect sense to Charlie that something must be very, very wrong in Mordor.

It's but a snowball right now, thought Charlie, but soon it may pick up momentum, soon it may be unstoppable, soon it may be an avalanche.

The Seattle Weather Channel is an attempt to document this snowball - watching as it hopefully turns into something unstoppable.

New Law In China To End Microsoft's Dominance

For years, China has been trying to end Microsoft Corp.'s monopoly on its computers. It has tried to develop its own operating system. It has appealed to the patriotism of consumers. Now, it is turning to the law.

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=53682

Microsoft agrees to partial Office

Microsoft has acceded to the Finance Ministry's demand that it be allowed to purchase individual components of Microsoft Office, rather than having to purchase the entire package, the ministry said yesterday.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/380707.html

Israel to suspend Microsoft buys

Israel became the latest government to embrace the open-source movement in software, saying this week that it would suspend purchases of Microsoft's productivity software and explore less costly, open-source alternatives.

http://mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/7605219.htm

2004 - the year Microsoft's prices bend, buckle or break?

With OpenOffice and Linux bringing serious competition back to the desktop for the first time in almost a decade, Microsoft's prices have only one way to go: down.

http://theregister.co.uk/content/4/34685.html

Blazing Sun ready to best Microsoft offer

With Microsoft deciding to withdraw support for Windows 98 from December 23, Sun Microsystems has decided to hawk its desktop software - Java Desktop System - at a 50 per cent discount to any offer that Microsoft makes.

http://telegraphindia.com/1031221/asp/business/story_2702968.asp

Will Longhorn become a Microsoft Linux distro?

New Year's prediction: Longhorn will never ship, but Microsoft Linux will. Even if I'm wrong, it's clear that software development is headed for a new place, and the end game that most observers saw even five years ago - that MS would win it all - doesn't seem as likely on the eve of 2004. By Chris Gulker.

http://software.itmanagersjournal.com/software/03/12/30/2034258.shtml

From today, gov't using Microsoft software illegally

Microsoft declined to comment on the matter, saying only 'Microsoft wants to hold business-like and quick negotiations with the authorized Ministry of Finance representatives, taking into account Israel's economic situation and prevailing price levels, and to continue our collaboration with the Israeli government.'

http://globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=757048

RealNetworks Could Get Backup In Microsoft Suit

The Seattle-based company sued Microsoft Thursday in federal court in San Jose, Calif., claiming the software giant is illegally using its Windows monopoly to dominate the digital media market.

http://crn.com/sections/BreakingNews/dailyarchives.asp?ArticleID=46839

Treasury takes on Microsoft

The struggle between the treasury and Microsoft over the ministry's demand that it lower the price of its software, reached new heights yesterday. A senior deputy to the Accountant General, Yitzhak Cohen, ordered the government ministries to stop ordering desktop computers with Microsoft Windows programs, starting from January.

Cohen estimates that between 1,000-2,000 of the 5,000 computers the government is planning on buying next year will be equipped with Linux, the free program developed by a Finnish computer student, that competes with Microsoft.

'Some of the ministries are getting ready to examine the possibility of operating Linux systems. The decision will save us millions of dollars, and in the Justice Ministry alone we will save $1 million in three years over computer expenses,' said Yitzhak Cohen, senior deputy to the Accountant General.

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/375720.html

Mythic Sue Microsoft Over Video Game

Fairfax-based video game developer Mythic Entertainment Inc. yesterday sued Microsoft Corp., saying the software giant's forthcoming game, called Mythica, infringes on the local company's trademarks.

http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22895-2003Dec22.html

Chinese break MS monopoly in Japan

A Chinese company has made a minor landmark success in breaking Microsoft's monopoly of the office software market by signing a contract with a Japanese IT product dealer, Internet Telephone, to sell its Yongzhong Office software in Japan.

http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?
file=/2003/12/26/technology/6990516&sec=technology

Here's how to claim your share of MS settlement

Kansans who bought Microsoft software in recent years can now file for vouchers in the settlement of a class-action lawsuit against the company.

Microsoft agreed to pay a total of about $1.55 billion in 10 states to settle lawsuits alleging the company used its monopoly to gouge consumers. The Kansas case was settled for $32 million.

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/business/7582586.htm

DOEACC Drops MS From Syllabus

In what could hit Microsoft's interest in the Indian market, the government owned non-formal software education outfit DOEACC has silently modified its syllabus, dropping subjects on Microsoft technologies and increasing focus on open operating systems such as Linux.

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=49421

Wired tells MS to take blame for flaws

In its current issue Wired magazine adds its voice to those calling for Microsoft to be held liable for flaws in its software.

Software license agreements that absolve you of, oh, deleting three years' worth of email are irresponsible. Bugs are negligence, and negligence should cost you, not us.

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/001183.html

Microsoft Settles NetMeeting Suit

Microsoft has agreed to pay $60 million to Imagexpo LLC to settle charges that the software colossus wrongfully infringed on the firm's patent on 'whiteboard' technology.

http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104_2-5133588.html
http://www.instantmessagingplanet.com/enterprise/article.php/3293651

Finance Ministry Weaning Israel Off of Microsoft

Israel has joined what has increasingly become a worldwide crusade to break free of the Microsoft Corporation and their perceived monopolistic constraints.

The Ministry of Finance plans to distribute thousands of Open Office programs on CD-ROM at public computer centers and eventually community centers across the country throughout the coming year.

Over the past year the programs were translated into Hebrew by Sun Corporation and IBM with the assistance of the Finance Ministry.

The Ministry of Finance is about to propose that government ministries use the free Linux open operating system as well.

IT managers at government ministries have been instructed to buy PCs without Microsoft operating licenses from January 2004.

http://israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=55243

The IT industry is shifting away from Microsoft

Charlie's story. Microsoft have reluctantly reported a 'flat' quarter - for the first time anyone can remember. With more cash on hand and nooks and crannies to hide it in than anyone could need to keep on 'cooking the books' and keep their stock grossly inflated, something must be up.

http://theinquirer.net/?article=13350