[Am-info] Microsoft ordered to carry Java

[Erick Andrews]

I don't know what you folks may think, but I think 
Microsoft's actions are blatantly illegal here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2602753.stm

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Sun Microsystems is crossing swords with Microsoft 

A US judge has ordered software giant Microsoft to include
Sun Microsystem's Java programming language in its
widely-used Windows operating system.

The order is to remain in force pending the final
outcome of a lawsuit brought by Sun Microsystems against
Microsoft.

Sun claims that the software giant tried to marginalise
Java by making a recent version of Windows, used on 90%
of the world's personal computers, incompatible with the
programming language.

US district judge J Frederick Motz agreed to impose the
preliminary 'must-carry' order against Microsoft at Sun
Microsystems' request.

Judge Motz said Microsoft had "leveraged its PC monopoly
to create market conditions in which it is unfairly
advantaged."

Edged out

The Sun case is one of four brought by competitors in
the wake of Microsoft's long anti-trust suit with the US
government.

The company was found to have abused its monopoly
position, although the remedies were watered down
extensively in a court ruling this year.

At stake for Sun is the future of Java, Sun's
cross-platform programming language.

Java was created so programmers could "write once, run
anywhere" - in other words, create programs which were
not dependent on the user's computer using a specific
operating system.

Microsoft has opposed Java for years, fearing it could
eat into its Windows monopoly over the desktop, and made
sure the Java included with Windows would not work
properly with other operating systems.

Initially it refused to put Java in its Windows XP
system released last year, but has since said it will
include its own version - although only until 2004.
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-- 
Erick Andrews