Microsoft Fixes Vista To Stave Off Antitrust Complaint

from the after-all-these-years dept

Wed, Jun 20th 2007 9:57am — Joseph Weisenthal

Last week, word emerged that Google was pushing for antitrust action against Microsoft, based on its contention that Vista was designed in such a way so as to degrade the performance of Google's desktop search tool. Based on Microsoft's previous legal settlements, anything that limits the functionality of third-party software on Windows is pretty much considered a no-no. But it looks like the crisis has been nipped in the bud, as Microsoft has said it will alter Vista to remove these performance issues, thus ending any legal actions against the company. It's not entirely clear whether the original problem was intentional or not on Microsoft's part, but the fact that the company has fixed it so quickly, would suggest some culpability. And so, even as its grip on the market declines, it's fairly clear why Microsoft's brand continues to be tainted and viewed suspiciously.

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23 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 20 Jun 2007 @ 10:18am

WOO-HOO
WOO-HOO! Go M$... Seriously though, you annoy me and should just leave.
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Nasty Old Geezer, 20 Jun 2007 @ 10:18am

What's next?
I wonder how many security fixes they will have to make as follow ups to patch the holes?
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Chronno S. Trigger, 20 Jun 2007 @ 10:22am

somewhat related
I can't get AVG anti-spyware to work on Vista. Is that just me or are the rumors true that windows defender is the only program that will work?
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Nate, 20 Jun 2007 @ 10:37am

"It's not entirely clear whether the original problem was intentional or not on Microsoft's part, but the fact that the company has fixed it so quickly, would suggest some culpability."

Or it could easily have been that someone said, "Ah ha! This is probably what's causing it." And fixed it. But then the above quote wouldn't be as easy to write...

I find it much easier to believe my scenario than that a group of executives sat in a room and said, "How can we mess up an application that nobody in their right mind would be installing anyway?"
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Jim Taylor, 20 Jun 2007 @ 10:42am

Re: somewhat related
Its you, works great here
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Casper, 20 Jun 2007 @ 10:49am

I hate Vista and will stay with XP and Ubuntu as long as possible. It doesn't do anything better then my modified XP installs and has way more problems.
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Jun 2007 @ 10:51am

Re:
"It's not entirely clear whether the original problem was intentional or not on Microsoft's part, but the fact that the company has fixed it so quickly, would suggest some culpability."

Or it could easily have been that someone said, "Ah ha! This is probably what's causing it." And fixed it. But then the above quote wouldn't be as easy to write...

I find it much easier to believe my scenario than that a group of executives sat in a room and said, "How can we mess up an application that nobody in their right mind would be installing anyway?"

Companies rarely have meetings for such things. Generally they pass down a vague memo like "do not expend effort to assist product x's compatibility" or some such thing. The memo may not say much, but the intent is generally taken pretty clearly.
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William, 20 Jun 2007 @ 10:51am

Windows 64
I can't get AVG antivirus to work on a 64 bit version of windows. They need to get an the ball and upgrade that software. It was the free version though.
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No one of consequence, 20 Jun 2007 @ 11:00am

Re: Google desktop
just want to point out that there are instances where Google desktop, in cahoots w/ software producers, is a good application.
I know what you're saying- I don't use it on my personal computers- but @ work, it's pretty handy in apps like Quickbooks, for example.
Everything has it's place, and I use Vista @ work w/ Intuit products.
In short, bugs suck
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Luke, 20 Jun 2007 @ 11:16am

Google Desktop
What kind of idgit wouldn't install Google desktop?

I don't see how having the content of your desktop indexed is a bad idea. I do have the report to Google option turned off, but searching my desktop via Google is much better than M-soft's. Plus, I've got a crapload of code, various work/school documents, etc. that I know where they are, but not if that particular document contains the needed piece of information.
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silverwolf, 20 Jun 2007 @ 11:28am

Re: Windows 64
AVG is at best crap software. I do IT support for a living and I've lost track of the times AVG gives a false positive.

Given that Norton and McAfee are heavy, poorly written software as well it's little wonder AVG has a market share at all.
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Jacemg, 20 Jun 2007 @ 11:58am

Re: Re: Windows 64
AVG seems to do fine for me the last 2 years.. I also do IT support and let me just say- 'IT' must be the dumbest most over-used term adopted by every worker @ 'Super Joe's Computer Shop' type places. If you don't directly support the Information Technology Dept. of your business/Clients then plz drop the 'IT' title it gets old.
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Unknowledgeable Geek, 20 Jun 2007 @ 12:06pm

Re: What's next?
Less than Linux.
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Jun 2007 @ 12:13pm

Re: Google Desktop
...because Vista already has this ability built-in to it. So by replacing a system function that works just fine, with a limited (less-functional) version made by a 3rd-party vender.... well, you get the point. Vista's search is quite robust and detailed - Google's is outdated, and based on XP's system.
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TheDock22, 20 Jun 2007 @ 12:19pm

Re: Google Desktop
I can't stand Google desktop. I never had a copy that did not take forever to startup. Plus it lagged my Desktop and the searches were slow.

I switch gear to Launchy and never looked back.
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jb, 20 Jun 2007 @ 12:19pm

Re: Re: Re: Windows 64
Amen to that AVG runs fine on xp pro and 03 svr at home, never an issue just slows down xp a bit as i have it run on auto, on 03 svr it runs flawlessly. IT is an overused BS acronym.
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Jun 2007 @ 2:10pm

Re: Re: Google Desktop
Yes I had the same issue.
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Kiruashi, 20 Jun 2007 @ 2:45pm

Haha..
Your right because Microsoft fixed something brought to their attention they must be at fault... Oh yeah.. Steve Jobs must be crooked too. After all Mac fixes things that dont work when brought to their attention.
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Mischa, 20 Jun 2007 @ 2:57pm

Re: Haha..
No, no. The point is... Was Microsoft able to fix the issue so quickly because they had intentionally created the problem and therefore knew exactly what was wrong?
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Jun 2007 @ 7:55pm

Re: Re: Haha..
Do you know anything about software? Its often hard work making your software work optimally and play nicely with other stuff. And it is often not worth the effort. So google complained, and microsoft ripped something out which was probably good for their software but interacted badly with google, just because google brought that much weight to bear and MS wanted them off their back.

You can fix all sorts of problems easily by ripping out some code, and there is a lot of behind-the-scenes code in windows for them to rip out.
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Jake Lockley, 20 Jun 2007 @ 9:41pm

So when are calculator manufacturers going to lash out at Apple and MS for undercutting their business? Such BS. The new search functionality of MS's is great and was a welcome upgrade to the old search. Google desktop is just spyware. They can spy on the internet through all their acquisitions, keep them off my desktop, the ad-serving bastards.

USE YOUR HOSTS FILE!
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Allen Franklin, 21 Jun 2007 @ 5:41am

Google = Evil...
Microsoft has been spanked and is being watching closely by the EU and state governments. Google on the other hand is somehow seen as pure. Their POS toolbar is spyware personified..
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SailorRipley, 21 Jun 2007 @ 10:59am

Re: Re: Re: Haha..
yet in pretty much all other instances, when M$ needs to fix a problem, M$ seems to need sooo much more time to "rip out some code".

Even if M$ in this particular instance actually did not cause the issue intentionally AND got lucky by finding a fix so quickly, you can't ignore the reason why people are so quick to suspect culpability...

M$ is not above those kind of tricks, and has used pretty much every dirty trick in the(ir) book over and over again...

you don't get that reputation lightly, and there's nothing Apple/Linux fan boy-ish about being suspicious...after all, the best indicator for future behavior is past behavior...which means that in M$s case it will be quite some time before we don't instinctively become suspicious
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