[plug] Interesting statement out of the DOJ case

[Michael Hunt]

Taken from an infobeat news article.

<snip>

Compaq executive says 'no alternative' to Windows

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Compaq Computer Corp. executive told the judge in
the Microsoft antitrust case Wednesday that his company has no "viable
alternative" to purchasing Microsoft Windows for its consumer personal
computers. John Rose, a senior vice president at Compaq, testified that his
company will buy the Microsoft Windows operating system for its consumer
products until it sees something better. "Until that materializes there is
no commercial viable alternative?" asked District Judge Thomas Penfield
Jackson. "That is correct, your honor," Rose replied. See full story
(http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2558493760-d4e).

<end of snip>

I find it interesting that Compaq has said (see the full story section) that
it is not evaluating alternative OS's even in the face of price rises by
Microsoft. Yet it is embracing whole heartedly open source for its server
based products. Ok I know that the statement was based on "consumer"
machines, but isn't this a case of shooting itself in the foot by Compaq ?
Regardless of the outcome of the DOJ case there is still going to be some
quite interesting legal cases going on I suspect. Can't wait to see what is
going to happen in 6 months time.