Microsoft To Change Desktop Search After Google Complaint

Raver32 writes to tell us that Microsoft will be making changes to their desktop search tool in Vista after a 49-page antitrust complaint was filed by Google. "Microsoft initially dismissed the allegations, saying regulators had reviewed the program before Vista launched. However, Brad Smith, Microsoft's general counsel, said in an interview last week that the company was willing to make changes if necessary."

Wow!

[MightyMartian]

They're putting in a link for other search providers! Boy, aren't we glad that MS obeys the spirit of the law, and not just the word.

49-page?

[BlackCobra43]

That just raises further questions!
1. WHY such an odd (pardon the pun) number of pages?
2. What does it matter? Does anyone think that more pages = better? Did MS' lawyers see the brief and go "Shit guys, it's over 47 pages long. We better settle!"?

Re:Wow!

[Anonymous Coward]

Because Apple doesn't have a monopoly on operating systems that they use to crush competitors underfoot, you fucking retard. It's not like Microsoft gets picked on for no fucking reason.

Re:Wow!

[stratjakt]

Who else sells OSX supported hardware then?

Sounds like a monopoly control to me, just a REALLY TINY one.

Re:Wow!

[SEMW]

You have a point. There is indeed a hint of WTF in this story. I mean, we're not talking about middleware like WMP here -- we're talking about finding files on the user's hard drive. If that's ruled to be no longer a core OS function to the extent that Microsoft are legally obliged to offer alternatives to it with the OS, you have to wonder what's next...

Newswire - 21st June, 2017

Microsoft (Nasdaq:MSFT) has announced they will be bundling the Linux kernel with Windows as an alternative to their own, after a 490-page antitrust complaint was filed by the Linux foundation. "We are extremely pleased with this development", Linux kernel BDFL Linus Torvalds was quoted as saying. "For too long have Microsoft been able to get away with forcefully bundling the NT kernel with their OS, forcing other products out of the market in clear violation of antitrust law as it applies to convicted monopolists. No longer!"

This development is not without precedent. After the original case in 2007 forced Microsoft to offer alternative hard drive search tools with the OS, a ruling in 2009 following an antitrust complaint by Stephen Oberholtzer had them bundling an an alternative [worsethanfailure.com] to the Windows calculator. By 2014, after the famous Litestep case had Windows presenting the user with a choice of window managers on first boot, some have said this step was inevitable.

Asked whether there was any truth in the rumours that Richard Stallman was secretly preparing a dossier to set out the case that Microsoft had failed to offer enough choice to the consumer with regard to product names that feature recursive acronyms and references to Flanders and Swann, he declined to comment.

Re:49-page?

[WarwickRyan]

The first page was the complaint, the remaining 46 pages contained the search history and complete index of every file on the writer's harddrive.

Re:49-page?

[mhall119]

Nah, that would be irrational. :)

Ok, mod me down.

Re:49-page?

[ZombieRoboNinja]

"XX-page document" is reporter code for "so long I feel justified not having read it."

Re:49-page?

[Anonymous Coward]

That was just the first volume. It said "1 - 49 of about 8,790,000,000", and they really didn't want to hit "Next".