[AppleSurf Inbox] Apr 29, 2000

[applesurf at myapplemenu.comapplesurf]

AppleSurf Inbox

== Top Stories ====================

Government To Judge: Break Up Microsoft (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-1777348.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..1003-200-1777348>
In the strongest antitrust action since the breakup of Ma Bell, the Justice Department and several states today asked a federal judge to divide Microsoft into two companies to prevent further abuse of its monopoly in computer operating systems. Under a 17-page proposal by government prosecutors, one of the resulting companies would sell the Windows 98, Windows CE and Windows 2000 operating systems; the other would comprise Microsoft's software applications, such as the word-processing and spreadsheet programs of Office and BackOffice, the Internet Explorer browser and Internet businesses such as MSN.

== Seize the Day! (Great news for Mac users) ====================

iMovie Works On Other Macs, Too (MacCentral)
<http://www.maccentral.com/news/0004/28.imovieworks.shtml>
While Apple specified a narrow range of hardware and software configurations, it seems there's nothing to prevent users of other Mac models from using it as well. 

== Thousand Flowers (News on Macintosh third-parties) ====================

Diablo II For Mac In Q3, Says Blizzard (MacCentral)
<http://www.maccentral.com/news/0004/28.diablo2.shtml>

 Today Blizzard Entertainment announced that the final stage of beta-testing the PC version of its forthcoming action/role-playing game Diablo II is getting underway. While that news in itself isn't noteworthy to the Mac community, the same press release did give the first official confirmation of when the Mac version will be available. "A Macintosh version of the game will be available during the third quarter 2000," said the company. 

== Know Thy Enemy (Keeping track of the Wintel empire) ====================

Justice Dept.: Microsoft Uses Power Against Palm (Reuters)
<http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000429/tc/microsoft_palm_1.html>
The Justice Department said Microsoft Corp. is using its monopoly power to hurt competitors in the market for personal digital appliances, specifically mentioning the Palm Inc. computing platform.

Government Wants Control Of MS (Wired News)
<http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,36000,00.html>
If Bill Gates was unhappy with early reports of the government's antitrust punishments, he's going to be plenty steamed when he reads the fine print this weekend.

Breakup Could Help Innovation -- Microsoft's (Forbes.com)
<http://biz.yahoo.com/fo/000428/mu2638.html>
The breakup of Microsoft, as proposed by prosecutors today, could well have a salutary effect. But not the one they're looking for.

Microsoft Employees Shrug At Bombshell Announcement (Reuters)
<http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000428/tc/microsoft_scene_1.html>
At the sprawling college campus-like headquarters complex of Microsoft Corp., employees greeted the government's plan to split up the computer giant on Friday with casual indifference.

Legal Oddsmakers: Microsoft May Have Ace In Hole (Inter at ctive Week)
<http://www.zdnet.com/intweek/stories/news/0,4164,2557737,00.html>
Even before the Department of Justice filed its request for a breakup of Microsoft Friday, legal oddsmakers said the software company has a respectable chance of overturning the case on appeal. While nothing is certain in any appeals process, a close read of Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's Conclusions of Law - which found Microsoft in violation of antitrust statutes - gives the monopolist ample ammunition to successfully duck the remedy on appeal, legal experts said. 

U.S. Microsoft Solution Is Called Drastic Surgery (New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/04/biztech/articles/29assess.html>
Shortly before the government filed its antitrust suit against Microsof ttwo years ago, Joel Klein, the assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department's antitrust division, explained in a private meeting his concept of "surgical" govenrment intervention. In the case of Microsoft, he said, it could well include breaking up the company.

Still Defiant, Microsoft Showing No Hint Of Remorse Or Compromise (San Jose Mercury News)
<http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/indepth/docs/dg042900.htm>
There was no hint of compromise, much less defeat, from Ballmer, the company's president and chief executive, and Chairman Bill Gates on Friday. In denouncing the government's well-leaked breakup plan, they defiantly continued to insist that Microsoft had done nothing wrong, that it would never be broken up.

Microsoft Says Proposed Remedies Will Slow Software Industry (Associated Press)
<http://www.techserver.com/noframes/story/0,2294,500198125-500271992-501431840-0,00.html>
"They've been calling it a reorganization. This is a breakup," Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said in a conference call Friday a few hours after the government and 17 states submitted the proposal to a federal judge. "We think that today's proposals ... are very disturbing, not just for Microsoft but for consumers and the entire high-tech economy," Gates said. 

The Mood In Seattle -- Life Will Be Different But Not Bleak (San Jose Mercury News)
<http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/indepth/docs/react042900.htm>
In cafes and campuses around Seattle, people were wondering whether the company will be such a sure bet, now that its stock has slumped and the government is calling for its breakup.

Two States Dissent On Microsoft Breakup (ZDNet)
<http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2557700,00.html>
Ohio and Illinios want Microsoft to stay in one piece, but operate under restrictions.

No Major Changes Likely For Consumers After Breakup (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-1777697.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..1006-200-1777697>
The proposed division of Microsoft probably wouldn't mean any drastic changes for consumers, at least in the near term. Habit, familiarity and the relative dearth of buoyant alternatives are some of the intangible factors that will likely allow the Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office software suite to maintain their dominant positions on the desktop

Industry Views Proposal As Too Little, Too Late (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-1777792.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..1003-200-1777792>
Rival companies and many others  within the high-tech industry view the proposal as ineffective at best and, at worst, an ill-conceived action that addresses older markets that are quickly losing relevance. Some repeated an oft-stated criticism that the government simply cannot stay abreast of today's hyper-fast technologies and businesses enough to regulate them. 

Antitrust Case Beats Down Microsoft Shares (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-1779389.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..1003-200-1779389>
The landmark antitrust case has taken its toll on Microsoft investors, and it's unclear whether the cloud hanging over the software giant's shares will lift anytime soon.

Commentary: Proposal Sparks Plenty Of Questions (PC Week)
<http://www.zdnet.com/pcweek/stories/news/0,4153,2557748,00.html>
Splitting Microsoft into two pieces takes one monopoly and creates two -- an idea that makes little sense. It suggests this remedy was born of a compromise arising from sharply divergent views held by the Department of Justice and the 19 states.

Microsoft Rivals Savor The Moment (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-1779367.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..1003-200-1779367>
Although the wisdom of today's government proposals remains an open question, competitors that have long endured Microsoft's dominance could not help but relish the moment. 

Government Plan For Microsoft Sparks Reaction (TechWeb)
<http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB20000428S0017>
Reaction was mixed Friday to the government's proposal to break up Microsoft, but one attorney saw a compromise within the maverick stance by the Ohio and Illinois attorneys general.

Antitrust Remedy Invites Opportunity (PC World)
<http://www.pcworld.com/pcwtoday/article/0,1510,16532,00.html>
It's a funny thing about monopolies: Many consumers get comfortable with them and don't want to try alternatives--until they really get a whiff of what those alternatives could bring. 

Government To Judge: Break Up Microsoft (CNET News.com)
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-1777348.html?tag=st.ne.1430735..1003-200-1777348>
In the strongest antitrust action since the breakup of Ma Bell, the Justice Department and several states today asked a federal judge to divide Microsoft into two companies to prevent further abuse of its monopoly in computer operating systems. Under a 17-page proposal by government prosecutors, one of the resulting companies would sell the Windows 98, Windows CE and Windows 2000 operating systems; the other would comprise Microsoft's software applications, such as the word-processing and spreadsheet programs of Office and BackOffice, the Internet Explorer browser and Internet businesses such as MSN.

== Breaking Barriers (About the internet and the web) ====================

Time To Close The Web? (A List Apart)
<http://www.alistapart.com/stories/closingtime/index.html>
The web is a democratic, two-way medium, built on open standards. Yeah, right.

The Eroded Self (New York Times)
<http://www.nytimes.com/library/magazine/home/20000430mag-internetprivacy.html>
In cyberspace, there is no reall wall betwen public and private. And the version of you being constructed out there -- from bits and pieces of stray data -- is probably not who you think you are.

== The AppleSurf Reader (Great Reads!) ====================

The Elian Pictures (Slate)
<http://slate.msn.com/framegame/entries/00-04-24_81142.asp>
Reality is one thing. Pictures are another. To confuse the two, you'd have to be blind.

== Technology (The Technology Scene In Singapore) ====================

SPH: Not Just Old Media Anymore (Asiaweek)
<http://www.cnn.com/ASIANOW/asiaweek/business/2000/04/25/>
The race among Asia's old media players to list their new media assets is about to be won by none other than Singapore Press Holdings, the monopoly newspaper publisher in the island republic.

== Around Town (News out of Singapore) ====================

Is It Time To Sell Singapore's Prized Assets (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/singapore/sin19_0429.html>
Homegrown giants SIA and SingTel may be stars at home but when they venture overseas, they are often viewed with suspicion. Foreigners think these companies have a political agenda because the Singapore Government owns a majority stake in them, said Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong recently. Is there a perception problem? Should the Government sell off its prized assets?

Overseas Voting Still Under Study (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/for10_0429.html>
Elections Department: The subject is under study and details will be given out at an appropriate time.

Fare Hike? But Service Mediocre (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/for9_0429.html>
Yap Lee Jen: The lack of fare hikes in the past few years can not be consideed a justifiable reason for increases in the future. Since the last fare hike, the quality of our public transportation has not improved much.

Extend Speakers' Hours (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/for6_0429.html>
Ivan Tan Kok Leong: What kind of crowd would the park attract on weekdays if it is available durig only office hours?

What DBS Flap Says (Straits Times)
<http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/opinion/opin1_0429.html>
Editorial: The management of DBS Bank should not be surprised, nor act inured, over the ferocious reaction to its plan to raise charges for routine POSBank account services. Big business can get unsentimental. When small POSBank savers and those locked into the system by Giro obligations relate the new charges to the DBS group's $1.07 billion net profit last year, they smell exploitation.