Microsoft and Sun

The first problematical questions between Microsoft and Sun concerning the design and the sources of Microsoft Java implementation and Sun`s Java standards start back in 2000 or even earlier. When Sun’s more powerful and flexible standard of Java 2 arrived, due to different reasons (partially because of the legal troubles over Java)Microsoft was stuck in older JDK 1.1 mode. So it comes to the point, where you have to do something, or pass off. So Microsoft improved their JVM in the new version of Windows.

And then Sun Microsystems, Inc. announced it has started an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft Corporation.

In its complaint (Press Releases, 2002), Sun alleges that Microsoft has engaged in extensive anticompetitive conduct, including the following:

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• Fragmenting the Java platform;
• Flooding the market with incompatible Java Runtime Environments;
• Forcing other companies to distribute or use products that are incompatible with Java;
• Significantly limiting Sun's distribution channels for the Java Runtime Environment;
• Intentionally interfering with the development of Java-based applications for compatible runtimes;
• Copyright infringement resulting from Microsoft's distribution of an unlicensed implementation of the Java Runtime Environment;
• Intentional creation of incompatibilities between Microsoft software and competing technologies, thereby raising switching costs for consumers and reducing consumer choice.

The other side of this long lasting conflict is trying to find a compromise between those standards (Microsoft’s own and Sun’s) and withstanding the lawsuits with more or less efficiency.

Also Microsoft protesting against the sources of the lawsuits from Sun. Jim Allchin(Jim Allchin, 2002) from Microsoft wrote:

This issue was addressed in detail during the liability phase of the trial. The Court of Appeals determined that it was not illegal for Microsoft to develop and distribute our JVM just because it was incompatible with Suns specification.

Also on one of the Microsoft’s press conferences Steve Ballmer (2004) said about interchanges between their companies:

So I'd say that's the elements and then if you take a look at the payment, some of the money is to resolve our antitrust lawsuit. Some of the payment takes a look back and says let's make sure we are clean with respect to one another on patents. Some of it is forward-looking in terms of how we work together from a patent perspective. And then some of it is forward-looking, us to Sun and Sun to us, in terms of the licensing of key intellectual property that relates to making these things plug together and interoperate well over the network.

Worked Cites

1. Steve Ballmer (Microsoft), Scott McNealy (Sun), retrieved February 18, 2007, from http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/legal/04-02-04SunPressConference.mspx
2. Sun Press Releases, Sun files suit against Microsoft for antitrust violations, retrieved February 14, 2007, from http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/2002-03/sunflash.20020308.1.xml
3. Written Direct Testimony of Jim Allchin, retrieved February 18, 2007.

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