Comment by AshamedCaptain
17 hours ago
This article is not complete without the reminder that this entire dance of instructions was required because MS would not allow a Windows OEM licensor to ship ANY customer-facing computer that would offer the option to boot BeOS via a pre-loaded bootloader or similar.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/be-stings-microsoft-with-lawsu...
> Be outlines its tortured history of trying to get its operating system included on machines from major computer makers, most notably Compaq Computer and Hitachi.
> Be said that in September 1998, Hitachi verbally committed to loading the BeOS alongside Windows on a line of PCs. Be had planned to offer software that would easily let computer owners choose between the two operating systems, but said it was notified by Hitachi in November 1998 that Microsoft's licensing deal with Hitachi effectively prevented such an approach.
> Although Hitachi eventually sold some PCs with the BeOS loaded on the hard drive, Be said the operating system had to be started from a floppy disk, and the machines bore no indication that they even came with the operating system.
> it was notified by Hitachi in November 1998 that Microsoft's licensing deal with Hitachi effectively prevented such an approach.
For those too young to remember, this is what the anti-trust case against Microsoft was actually about. Internet Explorer, while important, was just a small part of the Microsoft's monopolistic practice of absolutely fucking over developers, other OSes (including Linux) and consumer choice. It's mildly infuriating now to hear about the bad old Microsoft not being allowed to give end users the best browser available, knowing that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Be, or rather the remnants of Be, settled their anti-trust case with Microsoft for $23.3 million in 2003.
https://web.archive.org/web/20131109045719/http://www.intern...
That's the state of antitrust in the US: openly State publicly anti-competitive language and documents...
Zero chance of any enforcement.
It's kind of hilarious seeing hacker news report on what the EU does. "Can you believe these ridiculous requirements" says Hacker News.
Yes. Yes I can believe that
If there was a competitive league for justifying anticompetitive contracts, HN would be guaranteed a finalist team to compete with whoever Oracle decides to put in the ring.