[Am-info] Judge ends impasse with Sun, Microsoft

[Erick Andrews]

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/016/business/Judge_ends_impasse_with_Sun_Microsoft+.shtml

By Reuters, 1/16/2003

[B]ALTIMORE - A federal judge yesterday ordered
Microsoft Corp.  to begin shipping Sun
Microsystems Inc.'s Java program within 120 days,
after the companies fought over implementing a
ruling he made last month.

US District Judge J. Frederick Motz summoned
lawyers for both sides in the antitrust suit to a
hearing on their failure to agree on the terms of
a preliminary injunction.  ''I can't sit here
hearing after hearing,'' said Motz.  ''I want this
done in 120 days.''

Motz later told lawyers for Microsoft and Sun that
he would stay his 120-day ruling by two weeks as a
courtesy to the appeals court which would likely
be asked to review the ruling by Microsoft.

The judge had ruled on Dec.  23 that Sun had a
good chance of winning its antitrust case against
Microsoft, and said he would grant an injunction
forcing Microsoft to include Java in its Windows
computer operating system.  Sun argued in its suit
that Microsoft had gained an unfair advantage by
shipping Windows with an outdated version of Java
that's inconsistent for its users.

Mott had ordered each side to draft a plan
detailing how to carry out the Java ''must-carry''
order and negotiate a compromise.  The two firms
appeared to be unable to reach an agreement.

-- 
Erick Andrews