Unbelievable

["John N. Bryan" <jnelson@bga.com>]

  I read on Bloomberg's site just now,
  
  http://www.bloomberg.com/bbn/hwy/hwy1_03.html
  
  an article that "Microsoft's Request for Extended Court
  Hearing Opposed by U.S."
  
  What I found unbelievable to me, is the apparent audacity
  and shameless gall demonstrated by this company and it
  representatives.  Specifically, the articles quotes a
  "top Microsoft executive, Jim Allchin" as saying in an
  internal memo,
  
        ``I don't understand how (Internet Explorer) is
        going to win,'' Allchin's memo said. ``The current
        path is simply to copy everything that Netscape
        does packaging and product wise . . . My conclusion
        is that we must leverage Windows more.''
  
  and the article then adds that, "Microsoft insists that
  it's done nothing wrong because Internet Explorer is
  [allegedly -jb] an integral part of the Windows 95 software,
  and not a separate product."
  
  Are not these two statements contradictory?
  
  The final amazing statement is when the article states,
  
  "The Justice Department, Microsoft has said, knew about its
  plans to integrate an Internet browser into the Windows software
  even before it negotiated the earlier settlement."
  
  Pray, how might the DOJ have known about Microsoft's alleged
  intent to integrate an Internet browser into the Windows
  software before the current settlement was entered into?
  When -was- this negotiation begun? Nonetheless, this seems
  outrageously far fetched.  I am in slack-jawed amazement
  at what these people are offering in their defense. I will
  be sorely disappointed if any of this is deemed anything
  other than a shameless, weak attempt to justify their
  hand in the cookie jar after agreeing not to do so further.
  I believe it will portend a darker future for the industry
  and the consumer if the result of this DOJ proposed action
  is handled as ineffectively as the one in which it now finds
  itself in defense of.
  
  -John B
  
  
  --
  "You are not free because you CAN choose, only if you DO choose."
  "Everything you are is the decisions you make. If you allow circumstances
  to make them for you, then what you are becomes very easy to estimate."
  --