[Am-info] Microsoft reported lies at CeBit

[Gene Gaines]

Microsoft has Sony PlayStation 2 thrown out of CeBit

By Steve Homer
Special to CNET News.com
March 19, 2002, 10:20 AM PT

Less than a week after Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer
told visitors at the massive CeBit exhibition in Hannover,
Germany, that he wanted to see a warmer, friendlier Microsoft, his
company has become embroiled in a row with Sony over gaming
consoles.

Microsoft complained to the show organizers, Hannover Messe AG,
that Sony was breaching show rules by letting people play on Sony
PlayStation 2 consoles. Technically, Microsoft was right, and the
Messe was forced to act on the complaint.

Sony approached Microsoft to find a compromise and entered into
protracted discussions with the Messe for a deal acceptable for
all parties. But none could be found, and on Sunday morning Sony
started packing up its 27 PS2s. The CeBit show officially finishes
on Wednesday.

Microsoft representatives denied that the company had complained
to the Messe. But the show organizers confirmed that Richard Roy,
vice president, corporate strategy, had complained.

Sony has shown PlayStation consoles for the past three years
without any problem, and the Messe said it would not have worried
about the situation if Microsoft had not complained.

Microsoft showed its Xbox game console on its stand at the show,
with employees demonstrating.

Gene Gaines
gene.gaines@gainesgroup.com
Sterling, Virginia